How to Make Strawberry Frosting with Freeze-Dried Strawberries
There’s nothing quite like homemade strawberry frosting made with real strawberries. It has a fresh, sweet flavor that’s so much better than anything from the store. Whether you’re topping a vanilla cake, strawberry cupcakes, or even chocolate cake, this easy recipe adds the perfect burst of berry flavor.
Strawberry Frosting
This fresh strawberry frosting delivers an authentic, sweet strawberry flavor that beats anything you’ll find at the grocery store. Whether you’re frosting a vanilla cake, strawberry cupcakes, or even a chocolate strawberry cake, this easy strawberry frosting recipe will quickly become one of your favorite ways to add a burst of berry goodness to your baked goods.
Unlike traditional strawberry buttercream that relies on artificial flavoring or strawberry jam, this strawberry buttercream frosting recipe uses freeze-dried strawberries for the most wonderful fresh strawberry flavor.
And since we’re skipping fresh berries, you don’t have to worry about excess water or added moisture ruining that perfectly creamy consistency.
The freeze-dried berries give you a real strawberry flavor that’s concentrated, bold, and intense.
This sweet frosting uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients along with freeze-dried strawberries, making it such an easy way to enjoy strawberry frosting any time of year, even when it’s not strawberry season.
Why You’ll Love This Fresh Strawberry Buttercream
This really is the best strawberry buttercream frosting because it uses simple ingredients but still delivers big strawberry flavor. It transforms a traditional buttercream into the best strawberry frosting!
The freeze-dried strawberry powder is the secret. It gives you that bright flavor of fresh ripe strawberries without the extra liquid and texture problems that can happen when you use fresh or frozen berries.
Whether you’re making it for a birthday cake, Valentine’s cupcakes, or just because you’re craving something sweet, this easy strawberry buttercream has the best flavor, and it’s a recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
The cake above was a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting, then topped with chocolate ganache and chocolate-covered strawberries.
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer
- Electric mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer
- Food processor
- Rubber spatula
- Fine mesh strainer
- Piping bag for decorating
- Airtight container for storage
Ingredients
To make this perfect strawberry buttercream recipe, you’ll need these ingredients:
- Butter, at room temperature*
- Powdered sugar
- Freeze-dried strawberries
- Vanilla extract
- Milk or heavy cream
*I use salted butter, but if you use unsalted butter, you may want to add a pinch of salt to the buttercream.
Find the complete recipe with ingredient measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Strawberry Frosting
- Start by making sure your butter is truly at room temperature. This makes all the difference. It should be soft enough to leave an indent when you press it, but not melted or greasy. If it’s too cold, your frosting won’t come together smoothly.
- Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and pulse until they turn into a fine powder. This is how you get big strawberry flavor without adding extra liquid. If you see any larger bits or strawberry seeds, run the powder through a fine mesh strainer for the smoothest texture.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar. Start mixing on low speed so you don’t end up with a cloud of sugar all over your kitchen.
- Once it starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and beat until combined. It might look crumbly at first, but keep mixing. It will smooth out.
- Add the strawberry powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl so nothing gets left behind. You’ll see it turn the prettiest pink color.
- Add the milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Stop when you reach the consistency you need. Use less liquid if you’re piping and want it to hold its shape, or a little more if you’re spreading it on a cake and want it softer.
- Once it’s just right, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for a couple of minutes. This makes the buttercream extra smooth, creamy, and perfect for decorating or spreading.
Tips for the Best Strawberry Frosting
- Use room temperature ingredients for the smoothest texture.
- Don’t skip the food processor – processing the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder is essential.
- Regularly scrape down the sides of the bowl during mixing to ensure all ingredients are evenly incorporated. The more freeze-dried strawberry powder you use, the deeper the pink color and more intense the flavor.
Ways to Use This Frosting
This versatile strawberry frosting recipe works perfectly for strawberry cupcakes, vanilla cake, chocolate cake with strawberry frosting, sugar cookies, sheet cake, or elegant layer cakes.
This recipe makes enough frosting to frost 12-24 cupcakes (depending on how much you pile on) or fill and frost an 8-inch two-layer cake. For a larger sheet cake or more cake layers, simply double the recipe.
Storage Instructions
Store your strawberry buttercream frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Before using refrigerated frosting, bring it back to room temperature and re-whip it with an electric mixer on medium speed until it returns to a smooth, spreadable consistency. You may need to add a tablespoon of milk to restore the creamy texture.
Frosted cakes and cupcakes should also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this frosting in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and re-whip before using.
For the above cake, my client wanted a very pale pink so I only used the tiniest amount of freeze-dried strawberries to vanilla buttercream.
FAQs
While you can use fresh strawberries, they contain significantly more water, which can make your frosting runny. If you want to use fresh strawberries, you’ll need to cook them down into a strawberry reduction to remove the excess liquid, then cool the mixture completely before adding it to your frosting.
Most grocery stores carry freeze-dried strawberries in the dried fruit or snack aisle. I love to buy them at Sam’s Club for the best price!
Frosting consistency depends largely on the temperature of your ingredients and how much liquid you add. If your frosting is too thick, add more milk one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time, or refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
Of course! An electric hand mixer works just as well as a stand mixer.
To intensify the wonderful strawberry flavor, add more freeze-dried strawberry powder – you can use up to 3/4 cup for a very bold taste. You may have to add a little more milk if it gets too stiff.
More Delicious Strawberry Recipes
How to Make Strawberry Frosting with Freeze-Dried Strawberries
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Start by making sure your butter is truly at room temperature. This makes all the difference. It should be soft enough to leave an indent when you press it, but not melted or greasy. If it’s too cold, your frosting won’t come together smoothly.
- Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor and pulse until they turn into a fine powder. This is how you get big strawberry flavor without adding extra liquid. If you see any larger bits or strawberry seeds, run the powder through a fine mesh strainer for the smoothest texture.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter and confectioners’ sugar. Start mixing on low speed so you don’t end up with a cloud of sugar all over your kitchen.
- Once it starts to come together, increase the speed to medium and beat until combined. It might look crumbly at first, but keep mixing. It will smooth out.
- Add the strawberry powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix on medium speed until everything is fully incorporated, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl so nothing gets left behind. You’ll see it turn the prettiest pink color.
- Add the milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition. Stop when you reach the consistency you need. Use less liquid if you’re piping and want it to hold its shape, or a little more if you’re spreading it on a cake and want it softer.
- Once it’s just right, turn the mixer up to medium-high and beat for a couple of minutes. This makes the buttercream extra smooth, creamy, and perfect for decorating or spreading.
Notes
This recipe yields enough frosting for:
- Frost 24 cupcakes
- Fill and frost a 2-layer 8-inch cake
- Lightly frost a 9×13 sheet cake
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
