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.
Ingredients
- 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
How To Make This Recipe
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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.
Recipe Notes
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.