Strawberry buttercream frosting made with fresh strawberries and homemade strawberry purée for a naturally fruity flavor and smooth, creamy texture.
This recipe is based on my classic vanilla buttercream, carefully tested with fresh strawberry purée for a natural berry flavor and smooth, creamy texture.
This easy strawberry buttercream frosting is made with real strawberries, not jam or artificial flavoring, and is perfect for frosting and piping cakes, cupcakes, and layer cakes.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Real strawberry flavor – Made with fresh strawberry purée for a natural, bright berry taste.
- Smooth and creamy texture – Soft, fluffy buttercream that pipes and spreads easily.
- Perfect for decorating – A versatile strawberry frosting for cupcakes, layer cakes, fillings, and desserts.
Ingredients You Need
- Butter – Unsalted butter (80% fat), softened but still cool for a smooth, fluffy buttercream.
- Powdered Sugar – Confectioners’ sugar gives the frosting its sweetness, structure, and smooth texture.
- Heavy Cream – A small amount of full-fat heavy cream keeps the buttercream soft and easy to pipe.
- Strawberry Purée – Use a thick, reduced strawberry purée made from fresh or frozen strawberries for concentrated flavor without making the frosting runny.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds to round out the strawberry flavor.
- Food Coloring (optional) – The strawberry purée gives the buttercream a natural pink color; add a tiny amount of pink gel coloring for a brighter shade.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Buttercream
- Use softened butter – Soft but still slightly cool for a smooth, stable frosting.
- Reduce the purée well – Keep it thick and concentrated to avoid excess moisture.
- Cool completely – Warm purée can soften the buttercream.
- Add gradually – Mix in the purée little by little to keep the frosting stable.
- Adjust if needed – Chill briefly if too soft; add a little cream if too thick.
How to Make Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
This strawberry frosting is made with my homemade strawberry purée and a classic vanilla buttercream frosting recipe base for a smooth, creamy texture.
Place fresh or frozen strawberries in a saucepan with sugar and lemon juice.
Cook over medium heat for 10–15 minutes until thick and reduced..
Blend the strawberry purée until smooth, then let it cool completely before adding it to the buttercream.
Beat the softened butter for 3–5 minutes until smooth, creamy, and pale.
Add the powdered sugar gradually on low speed, then add the vanilla. Increase to high speed and whip for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the cooled strawberry purée and heavy cream, then whip for about 3 minutes until smooth, creamy, and evenly pink.
Mix on low speed for a few minutes with the paddle attachment to smooth the strawberry buttercream and remove air bubbles.
Want to create smooth, clean cake finishes and master your decorating? This training shows all the techniques I use.
Serving Suggestions
- Cupcakes – Pipe on vanilla, chocolate, or strawberry cupcakes.
- Layer cakes – Use as a filling or frosting for vanilla, chocolate, and berry cakes.
- Desserts – Use to decorate cakes, brownies, and other strawberry desserts.
You can find all my buttercream frosting recipes here, with different flavors and variations for cakes and cupcakes.
Recipe Variations
- Strawberry jam buttercream – Replace the purée with seedless jam for a sweeter version.
- Freeze-dried strawberry buttercream – Use ground freeze-dried strawberries for concentrated flavor.
- Strawberry cream cheese frosting – A softer, tangier alternative.
- Strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream – A lighter, less sweet option.
- Berry buttercream – Swap strawberries for raspberries or other berries.
I love using it to frost and fill my strawberry buttercream cake, where the strawberry flavor really stands out.
Recipe Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes. Cook them down into a thick, concentrated strawberry purée.
Why is my strawberry buttercream too soft?
The purée may be too thin or warm. Reduce it well and cool completely.
How can I make it more pink?
Use concentrated purée or a tiny amount of pink gel coloring.
Can I use strawberry jam?
Yes, but the frosting will be sweeter with a less fresh strawberry flavor.
Why is my buttercream grainy?
Sift the sugar, strain the purée, and finish mixing on low speed.
More Strawberry Frostings
- Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Strawberry ganache frosting
- Strawberry whipped cream frosting
More Buttercream Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe. If you try it, feel free to leave a comment. Happy baking!
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Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 10 portions
Description
Smooth and creamy strawberry buttercream frosting made with fresh strawberry purée for a natural fruity flavor, perfect for cakes and cupcakes. Perfect to frost 12 cupcakes or to fill and decorate a 2-tier 6-inch (15 cm) cake.
Ingredients
- 200 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 350 g (2 ¾ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) heavy cream
Strawberry Purée (for the frosting)
- 100 g strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice.
Instructions
Make the strawberry purée
- Cook the strawberries with sugar and lemon for about 5–7 minutes until soft.
- Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds.
- Let the purée cool completely before adding it to the frosting.
Strawberry buttercream
- Place the softened butter in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed for 5 minutes, scraping the bowl halfway, until the texture is smooth, creamy, and pale.
- Add the sifted powdered sugar in batches, keeping the mixer on medium speed, and mix until fully incorporated.
- Pour in the heavy cream and vanilla extract, then whip again on high speed for 5 minutes to lighten the buttercream.
- Add the cooled strawberry purée and mix for about 2 minutes until the frosting is pink, smooth, and creamy.
- Use the frosting immediately, or refrigerate it covered. Bring it back to room temperature and re-whip before piping.
Notes
Storage : Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Tips:
- Use a kitchen scale for accurate ingredients and consistent texture.
- Make sure the purée is fully cooled before adding it.
- If the frosting is too soft, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- If too thick, add a splash of heavy cream.
- For a smoother texture, mix 1–2 minutes on low speed at the end.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Buttercream, frosting, icing, fillings
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 297
- Sugar: 34.7 g
- Sodium: 4.1 mg
- Fat: 17.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.5 g
- Protein: 0.3 g
- Cholesterol: 47.6 mg
Susan D
This buttercream is heavenly!! I made it as the recipe states but added more of the strawberry puree for a bigger strawberry flavor. It holds up really well too for piping even though it is light & fluffy. I also added pink pitaya powder for a bolder pink flavor. Love this so much!
Fadela
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you loved it! Adding more strawberry purée and pitaya powder sounds delicious — and that bold pink must have looked amazing!
Brooklyn
Can I use store bought strawberry puree?
Fadela
Yes, you can! Just make sure it's a thick strawberry purée, not a thin juice or coulis, and ideally strained to remove the seeds. If it's too runny, it can make the buttercream too soft.