Strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream is a light, silky strawberry frosting made with real berries and a not-too-sweet Swiss meringue base.
This strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream recipe gives you a smooth, pipeable strawberry frosting for cakes, cupcakes, macarons, and layer cakes, made with fresh or frozen strawberries and no powdered sugar.
As a baker, I use this Swiss meringue strawberry buttercream whenever I need a natural pink strawberry icing that holds up beautifully on celebration cakes and simple cupcakes.
Why you'll love it
- Light, silky texture that’s easy to pipe
- Real strawberry flavor from reduced puree
- Perfect for frosting and filling cakes, cupcakes, and macarons
Ingredients you need
You only need a few basic ingredients to make this strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream frosting.
- Food coloring (optional): Red or pink gel or powder to enhance the natural strawberry color if needed
- Egg whites: Large egg whites only, carefully separated from the yolks for a stable Swiss meringue.
- Granulated sugar: Fine white sugar, fully dissolved in the egg whites to create a smooth, glossy meringue.
- Unsalted butter: Softened, room-temperature butter for a silky, lump-free buttercream.
- Strawberry puree: Homemade puree made from fresh or frozen strawberries gently cooked with a little lemon juice for natural strawberry flavor and color.
- Vanilla extract: Optional, but adds warmth and depth to the strawberry buttercream.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
Tips for this recipe
- Use fully cooled strawberry puree to prevent the buttercream from becoming loose or grainy.
- Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved in the egg whites before whipping for a smooth Swiss meringue.
- Add the butter gradually and keep mixing if it looks curdled; it will come together.
- Keep all ingredients at room temperature for a stable, silky texture.
- Re-whip briefly on low speed before using to smooth the buttercream and remove air bubbles.
How To Make Strawberry Swiss Buttercream
Start by preparing the Swiss meringue, then turn it into my Swiss meringue buttercream base before adding the flavoring it with my homemade strawberry purée.
Cook the strawberries with lemon juice over medium heat until thick and jammy, mashing the fruit if needed.
Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and let the purée cool completely.
Heat egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, whisking constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F / 71°C.
Whip the meringue on high speed until stiff, glossy, and completely cool.
Add the butter gradually on medium speed, then increase to high and beat until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the strawberry purée, vanilla, and food coloring, and whip until evenly pink and silky.
Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low speed to smooth the buttercream and remove air bubbles.
How to use it
- Use as a crumb coat before final frosting for clean, professional results.
- Frost layer cakes for smooth sides, sharp edges, and a light strawberry flavor.
- Fill cake layers with a stable, creamy buttercream that pairs perfectly with vanilla or chocolate sponge.
- Pipe cupcakes into swirls or rosettes that hold their shape beautifully.
Storage
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
- Freezer: Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then re-whip until smooth.
I use this strawberry Swiss buttercream as a filling and frosting in my strawberry lemonade cake for a light, fresh strawberry-lemon flavor.
Recipe Variations
- Raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream: Replace strawberry purée with raspberry purée.
- Strawberry white chocolate: Fold in cooled melted white chocolate.
- Freeze-dried strawberry: Use strawberry powder instead of purée for a more intense flavor.
- American-style version: Swap the base for classic strawberry buttercream.
- Lemon strawberry: Add a little lemon zest for a fresh twist.
Recipe Questions
Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes. Cook them directly without thawing, then reduce well.
Why does my buttercream look curdled?
The butter or purée is too cold. Keep mixing until it smooths out.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes, up to 5 days ahead. Re-whip before use.
Can I freeze strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream?
Yes. Freeze well sealed, then thaw and re-whip until creamy.
More Buttercream Recipes
- Oreo Swiss meringue buttercream
- White chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream
- Caramel Swiss meringue buttercream
- Biscoff Swiss meringue buttercream
I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!
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Strawberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 portions
Description
Delicious Swiss meringue buttercream flavored with homemade strawberry puree, perfect for frosting and smoothing a layer cake or topping 10–12 cupcakes.
Ingredients
Strawberry Puree
- 250 g fresh strawberries: hulled (or frozen)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice: fresh
Swiss Strawberry Buttercream
- 6 egg whites: large eggs, at room temperature
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar: white sugar
- 300 g (1⅓ cups) unsalted butter: softened, cubed
- 100 g (½ cup) strawberry puree: homemade, fully cooled
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract: pure vanilla
- Red food coloring: gel, optional
Instructions
Strawberry Puree
- Cook the strawberries with lemon juice over medium heat until soft and reduced.
- Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve to remove seeds. Let cool completely.
Swiss Strawberry Buttercream
- Place the egg whites and granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (double boiler).
- Whisk constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C).
- Transfer to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip on medium-high speed until the meringue is stiff, glossy, and completely cool.
- Reduce the speed, add the softened butter gradually, then increase speed and whip until the buttercream is smooth and thick.
- Add the cooled strawberry purée and vanilla, mixing just until combined.
- Switch to the paddle attachment and mix on low speed for 1–2 minutes to smooth the buttercream and remove air bubbles.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days; bring to room temperature and re-whip before using.
Tips:
- Make sure the strawberry puree is thick and fully cooled before adding.
- Whip the meringue until the bowl feels cool to avoid melting the butter.
- If the buttercream looks curdled, keep mixing — it will come together.
- Use gel food coloring to avoid thinning the buttercream.
- Always re-whip after chilling for a smooth texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: filling, frosting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 289
- Sugar: 15.7 g
- Sodium: 36.6 mg
- Fat: 24.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.1 g
- Protein: 2.5 g
- Cholesterol: 64.5 mg
Elodie
Great recipe, thank you very much! It really has a strawberry flavor and is not overly sweet. Make sure to strain the puree well, otherwise you can see the strawberry seeds
Zoraida Zayac
This website was... how do you say it? Relevant!! Finally I've found something that helped me. Many thanks!