Buttercream frosting with strawberries is the answer when you’re after real flavor, not just a pink swirl. Made with a cooked strawberry reduction, this frosting is smooth, creamy, and naturally sweet, with a soft color and a punch of flavor that comes straight from the strawberries. It pipes beautifully, spreads like a dream, and tastes even better than it looks. No fake flavors, no freeze-dried strawberries, no shortcuts — just a true strawberry buttercream that works for any cake, any time.
I try not to go overboard with hyperbole on this blog — every single recipe cannot be the best one ever, amiright? But this one. This one really is the best strawberry buttercream EVER.
We have an easy strawberry frosting with jam that we absolutely love and use frequently. But when we want the most flavor and have a little more time, this is the one we turn to. It’s based on a Southern Living strawberry buttercream recipe with a strawberry reduction.
We’ve tweaked it a bit, and I believe it’s just about the most delicious frosting I’ve ever had. I could eat it with a spoon. (Maybe I did…)
Testing notes for buttercream frosting with strawberries
- We’ve tested this recipe using fresh and frozen strawberries, and either works just fine. The preference is for fresh when strawberries are in season, but if it’s the off-season, then I would opt for frozen.
- Tried this recipe without cooking down the strawberries and just using a bit of regular strawberry puree. The result was too wet, and the frosting had a tendency to curdle. The reduction is what makes this recipe so don’t skip that step!
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Be sure and try our other delicious frosting recipes, like Classic Buttercream, Chocolate Buttercream and Blackberry Buttercream.
Ingredient notes
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
This strawberry buttercream recipe calls for standard ingredients and fresh or frozen strawberries. No hard-to-find ingredients here!
- Unsalted butter – We almost always use unsalted Land O’ Lakes butter. For this recipe, you want the butter to be soft but not squishy.
- Strawberries – You can use fresh or frozen. If using frozen, choose whole strawberries.
How to make strawberry buttercream
- Place pureed strawberries in a saucepan and cook until reduced.
- You should have about 1/4 cup reduced puree.
- Cream butter until fluffy.
- Slowly mix in additional ingredients.
- Frosting should be slightly thick.
- Pipe or spread on cakes or cupcakes.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Buttercream Frosting with Strawberries
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- pinch salt
- 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2-3 tablespoons milk (optional, use if frosting is too stiff)
Instructions
- Puree 1 1/2 cups whole fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed) in a food processor. This should yield about 3/4 cup of strawberry puree.
- Place the strawberry puree in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir occasionally until puree is reduced to 1/4 cup. This should take around 15 minutes.
- Remove the strawberry puree from the pot and place it in a container in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- After the puree has cooled, beat 1 cup unsalted butter, softened until creamy and airy, about 7 minutes. Add a pinch salt, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed and mix until well blended.
- With mixer on low, alternate adding 3 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted and the cooled strawberry puree, beating until just combined after each addition. Turn the mixer to medium and beat until fluffy, about one minute. If needed, add milk one tablespoon at a time.
Notes
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
This strawberry buttercream should be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. We suggest storing cakes or cupcakes with this frosting in the refrigerator as well.
You can make this frosting one day in advance, but we don’t suggest longer than that. However, to save time, you can puree the strawberries and make the reduction 2-3 days in advance. You could even freeze the reduction and use it later.
You can freeze strawberry buttercream frosting in an airtight container for up to three months.
