June is Strawberry Month at Urban Cottage Life, and today’s berry treat is a simple Strawberry Buttercream. What better way to adorn a cake or cupcake when strawberries are in season?
Frosting Made with Real Strawberries
I enjoy flavouring frostings with real fruit, and this Strawberry Buttercream is a delightful example of the magical properties of a simple fruit purée.
I first developed this buttercream frosting in 2013 to adorn the cupcakes I made for my second granddaughter’s third birthday (that seems so long ago now). It was the finishing touch on these Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes. It very quickly became apparent that this was her favourite part of the celebratory treat.
That buttercream was a kiss of sweet strawberry atop the cake. All natural colour, all natural flavour, all made with love. And utterly enchanting to our three-year-old.
Let’s Make Strawberry Buttercream
The final consistency of this buttercream is soft, but it holds its shape well due to the meringue powder. This recipe makes just enough buttercream to frost 15 medium-sized cupcakes rather lavishly, as shown in the photo.
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (approximately) icing sugar, also known as confectioner's sugar
- 2 tsp meringue powder
- 4 tbsp (approximately) strawberry puree
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Using a mixer, whip the butter until very light and fluffy. Slowly work in most of the icing sugar and meringue powder, then increase the speed until the mixture is well incorporated .
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Add in about 3 tablespoons of the strawberry purée and mix well. Scrape down the bowl once or twice to ensure the colour is evenly distributed. Making buttercream is not an exact science. Add more strawberry puree if needed to get a more intense colour or flavour, or to soften the consistency. Conversely, if the buttercream seems too soft, you can add some more icing sugar to stiffen it up a bit.
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The final consistency of the buttercream should be smooth and spreadable. If it's too stiff it tends to crack if being piped.
Making Strawberry Purée
If you don’t have strawberry purée on hand, here’s how to make some ahead of time. Ensure you cool the purée to room temperature before adding it to the buttercream to avoid melting the butter in it.
No sugar is required for this purée since the buttercream has more than enough sweetness to offset its tartness.
- Coarsely chop about 1/2 cup fresh or partially thawed frozen strawberries. Put them in a small saucepan with just a splash of water on the bottom (maybe a tablespoon or two). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then turn to a simmer. As they begin to soften, mash them with a fork.
- Cook until the syrup has cooked down until it’s thick and syrupy, and reduced to about a 1/4 cup (no less).
- If you prefer a smoother texture, you can purée it in a small food processor or by passing it through a sieve with the back of a spoon.
Looking for Other Fruit-Based Frostings?
Here are three more fruity frostings to embellish your cakes and cupcakes. Showcasing tart lemon, this Lemon Blast Buttercream shines. Raspberry Buttercream is a vibrant pink delight. And for a less sweet approach, why not try this Blueberry Italian Meringue Frosting (and yes, those are blueberry meringue kisses on top)?
oh my gosh….yummy!
Indeed! Thanks for stopping by to comment, Donna.
Marlene the decoration is super sweet …thanks..looks yummy
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Thank you, Suzanne! It’s so nice to revise these happy memories.
[…] than a young child’s birthday party? I made these Strawberry Chocolate Cupcakes, topped with Strawberry Buttercream, for my second granddaughter’s third birthday in 2014. They made our celebration even […]