Strawberry Ganache

Whip up this strawberry ganache frosting, a smooth strawberry white chocolate ganache perfect for filling cakes and topping cupcakes.

This strawberry ganache is light, creamy, and full of real strawberry flavor from homemade strawberry puree.

It’s the perfect strawberry filling for cakes, cupcakes, and macarons.

The base is a simple white chocolate ganache made with heavy cream, then whipped until fluffy for a silky strawberry whipped ganache that pipes beautifully on any dessert..

Why you'll love this recipe

This easy strawberry ganache recipe gives you a stable, strawberry-flavored frosting that works both as a filling and as a topping.

• Only a few ingredients – White chocolate, heavy cream, and strawberry puree are all you really need.
• Real strawberry flavor – Made with homemade strawberry puree (or frozen berries), not artificial flavoring.
• Very versatile – Use as strawberry ganache frosting, cake filling, cupcake topping, or to frost a strawberry birthday cake

Ingredients you need

Here’s what you need to make this strawberry white chocolate ganache at home.

• White chocolate – Good quality white chocolate with a high cocoa butter content melts smoothly and keeps the ganache stable.
• Strawberry puree – Thick homemade strawberry puree made from fresh or frozen strawberries, not a runny coulis.
• Heavy cream – Full-fat heavy cream or heavy whipping cream (at least 30% fat) for a rich texture.
• Vanilla – Vanilla bean or pure vanilla extract to boost the flavor.
• Food coloring (optional) – Red or pink gel or powder if you want a brighter strawberry color.
• Freeze-dried strawberry powder (optional) – Adds extra strawberry flavor and a natural pink shade.

Tips for this recipe

A few simple tips will help you get a smooth, stable strawberry ganache every time.

• Use thick puree – Reduce the strawberries until the puree is thick; too much liquid will loosen the ganache.
• Chop the chocolate finely – Small pieces melt faster and give a smoother strawberry ganache.
• Blend the ganache – Use an immersion blender to remove any tiny pieces of fruit or chocolate.
• Chill completely before whipping – The ganache must be very cold before you whip it, or it won’t hold.
• Don’t overwhip – Stop as soon as it looks fluffy; if you whip too long, it can turn grainy or start to separate.

How To Make Strawberry Ganache

This is a simple method: cook the strawberries, make a white chocolate ganache, then chill and whip until fluffy.

Cook the strawberry puree – Place fresh or frozen strawberries with a little lemon juice in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until soft.

Blend and strain – Blend the mixture, then pass it through a fine sieve to remove the seeds. Let the puree cool completely.

Combine chocolate and puree – Chop the white chocolate finely and place it in a heatproof bowl with the cooled strawberry puree.

Heat the cream – Warm the heavy cream with the vanilla until it just starts to simmer.

Make the ganache – Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and puree. Let sit 1–2 minutes, then mix until smooth.

Add cold cream and color.

Stir in the cold heavy cream and a little food coloring, then blend with an immersion blender for a silky texture.

Chill – Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate for 3–4 hours, or overnight, until very cold.

Whip – Whip the chilled ganache with a mixer on medium speed until light, fluffy, and thick enough to pipe.

Serving Suggestions

This strawberry ganache works as both a filling and a frosting for many strawberry desserts.

• Cake filling – Layer inside vanilla sponge, strawberry cake, or lemon cake.
• Cupcake topping – Pipe generous swirls on strawberry or vanilla cupcakes.
• Macaron filling – Use a firm version as a strawberry ganache filling for macarons.
• Tart topping – Spread over a baked tart shell and top with fresh berries.
• Drip or swirl – Use a softer, unwhipped ganache as a drip on layer cakes.

Storage instructions

Strawberry ganache keeps well in the fridge and can be used ahead of time for layer cakes and cupcakes.

• Fridge: Keep the ganache covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re-whip briefly if it softens.
• Freeze: You can freeze cakes filled with this ganache, but the texture may change after thawing and it can’t be whipped again.

Recipe Variations

You can easily adapt this strawberry ganache recipe with small changes to the cream, chocolate, or flavorings.

• Mascarpone strawberry ganache – Replace part of the cold cream with mascarpone when whipping for a richer, tangy frosting.
• Coconut strawberry ganache – Use coconut cream instead of part of the heavy cream for a tropical flavor.
• Extra strawberry flavor – Add freeze-dried strawberry powder to intensify the taste and color.
• Almond strawberry ganache – Add a little almond extract for a bakewell-style flavor.
• Milk or dark chocolate version – Swap some of the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate for a less sweet chocolate strawberry ganache.

Recipe Questions

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes, frozen strawberries work very well. Cook them down into a thick puree and cool completely before adding to the ganache.

Can I use this strawberry ganache to fill a cake?

Yes, this whipped strawberry ganache is stable enough for a layer cake as long as it is well chilled and the cake is kept refrigerated.

Can I use this recipe for a drip cake?

Use the unwhipped ganache while it is still pourable and slightly warm, then test a drip on the side of the bowl before pouring it over the cake.

Why did my strawberry ganache split or turn grainy?

It’s often from too much liquid, chocolate that was overheated, or overwhipping. Try blending it with an immersion blender and chilling again before whipping gently.

More Strawberry frosting

• Strawberry Buttercream
• Strawberry Swiss Buttercream
• Strawberry cream cheese frosting
• Strawberry whipped cream

I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!

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