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A plate with a cupcake topped with strawberry frosting with a glass of milk and more cupcakes in the background.
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Strawberry Frosting

Made with five ingredients, this Strawberry Frosting is so easy to make at home! Full of fresh strawberry flavors, you'll want to put it on everything!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 16 servings
Calories 285kcal
Author John Kanell

Ingredients

  • ½ cup chopped fresh strawberries or frozen thawed strawberries (about 6 berries)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened, (227g)
  • 6 cups powdered sugar (720g)
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Place the strawberries in a blender or food processor. Process until completely smooth. (If desired, you can strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.) Measure out ¼ cup of strawberry puree.
  • In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the strawberry puree and beat until well combined. Scrape down the bowl.
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar in about a cup at a time. Stop and scrape down the bowl occasionally. Once all of the sugar is added, beat in 2 tablespoons of cream and the vanilla. Beat on medium-low speed until fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the additional tablespoon of cream if needed for a smooth and fluffy frosting. Use the frosting immediately or cover and chill overnight. Bring to room temperature and beat again for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fluffy and spreadable before using.

Video

Notes

  • Strain the strawberry puree through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds for a smoother frosting. This is optional but a great choice if you don’t want any rough seeds.
  • To make this strawberry buttercream dairy-free, you can simply substitute regular butter with vegan butter and replace the cream with a non-dairy milk or cream alternative.
  • Gradually add the powdered sugar. If you dump it all in at once, it can go flying all over your counter, and create a lumpy frosting. Adding in batches ensures a smooth texture to your frosting (and less mess!).
  • Make sure the butter is soft. I prefer to set it out on the counter once my cakes are cooling or at least 1 to 2 hours before I’ll start making the frosting. If you don’t have that kind of time, you can put one stick at a time in the microwave and heat for 5 seconds. Slip the sick and continue until softened, but not at all melted.
  • To use freeze-dried strawberries, process 1 cup of freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until finely ground and powdery. Sift this through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds. Beat the strawberry powder into the butter in place of the strawberry puree as directed in the recipe. You will need to decrease the amount of powdered sugar to 5 cups (600g) and add an additional 4 to 5 tablespoons of cream to the frosting since the strawberries don’t have any added moisture.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 383IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.1mg