Trust me when I say this is the best tasting homemade strawberry frosting—creamy, smooth, and bursting with real strawberry flavor. If you’ve ever had strawberry frosting that tasted too sweet or artificial, this one will be a breath of fresh air. Made with freeze-dried strawberries, it delivers a bright berry flavor and a naturally vibrant pink hue—no food coloring needed.
The recipe makes enough to frost one three-layer 8-inch cake. For extra piping or taller swirls, simply multiply by 1.5—because more strawberry buttercream is never a bad thing.
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ingredients you'll need
- 5 Cups (680 g) Powdered Sugar
- 2 Cups (450 g) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
- ½ Cup (60 g) Heavy Cream
- 1 Pinch (~ 6 g) Salt
- ½ Cup (85 g) Freeze Dried Strawberries, crushed or blended
how to make this strawberry buttercream frosting
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until paste-like, then increase to medium-high and mix for 4–6 minutes until the color changes from yellow to white.
- While mixing, sift the powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve or sifter into a separate bowl.
- Crush or blend Freeze-dried Strawberries
- Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar in 1–2 cup increments, mixing on low speed after each addition until fully incorporated. This prevents a sugar cloud.
- Add the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract and freeze-dried strawberries. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds to incorporate.
- Increase to medium-high speed and mix for 5–10 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the bowl.
- Remove any air bubbles by pressing and smoothing the frosting with a spatula or wooden spoon in a zig-zag motion prior to frosting your cake.
how to store this strawberry buttercream frosting
If you're not frosting a cake immediately, you can store this strawberry buttercream frosting in an air tight container in the refrigerator for a few days. Otherwise, you can freeze this buttercream! Simply double wrap frosting in plastic wrap followed by foil and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to frost a cake, thaw your buttercream until it softens (I usually put it out on the counter for an hour or so) and then mix on medium high speed until its light and fluffy.
equipment you'll need
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- Mixing bowls (I love these versatile glass stacking bowls)
- Food Processor
- Stand mixer (Kitchen Aid or Bosch*)
- Measuring cups & spoons + Liquid Measuring Cup or a Kitchen Scale
- Rubber spatula & whisk
- Offset spatula (for smoothing batter and frosting)
If you love this recipe, I’d be so grateful if you left a five star review—it truly means the world! And if you make it, I’d love to see—snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @cakejoie so I can share in the joy. Nothing makes me happier than seeing your beautiful bakes!
The Best Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 5 Cups Powdered Sugar 680 g
- 2 Cups Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature 450 g
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream 60 g
- 1 Pinch Salt 6 g
- ½ Cup Freeze Dried Strawberries 85 g - crushed or blended
Instructions
- Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until paste-like, then increase to medium-high and mix for 4–6 minutes until the color changes from yellow to white.
- While mixing, sift the powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve or sifter into a separate bowl.
- Crush or blend Freeze-dried Strawberries
- Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar in 1–2 cup increments, mixing on low speed after each addition until fully incorporated. This prevents a sugar cloud.
- Add the heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract and freeze-dried strawberries. Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds to incorporate.
- Increase to medium-high speed and mix for 5–10 minutes, pausing occasionally to scrape down the bowl.
- Remove any air bubbles by pressing and smoothing the frosting with a spatula or wooden spoon in a zig-zag motion prior to frosting your cake.
Kelsey says
I made this for my daughter’s birthday cake and got a million compliments on it! It was so delicious! I doubled the recipe for a 4 layer cake with piping decorations and still had leftovers for another dessert. I blended the freeze dried strawberries until they were very fine and had no problems piping the frosting! I will make this frosting again and again!
Hannah Shepherd says
Kelsey, I'm SO glad you love this frosting! Good to know this for a 4 layer cake (I bet it was delicious!). Extra frosting is always a good to have around 😉