Strawberry Frosting

5 from 1 vote

This strawberry frosting is made with freeze-dried strawberries for intense, real strawberry flavor and a naturally pink color without food dye. No strawberry reductions or artificial flavoring needed. Frosts 12 cupcakes or one 2-layer 8-inch cake.

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings 12 servings

Metric - US Customary

Ingredients

▢ 1 cup (25 g) freeze-dried strawberries
▢ 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter - softened to room temperature
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons (30 g) whole milk - plus more as needed

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Instructions

Add 1 cup (25 g) freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor. Process until they're ground into a fine powder with no large chunks remaining, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
Add the softened 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the strawberry powder to the butter. Mix on low until the color is even and no white streaks remain.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mix until combined.
Add 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, mixing on low speed between each addition so it doesn't fly everywhere. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.
Add 2 tablespoons (30 g) whole milk and increase to medium-high speed. Beat for 1-2 minutes until the frosting is light, smooth, and holds its shape on a spatula. If it's too thick to pipe or spread, add more milk ½ tablespoon at a time.
Frost your cake, cupcakes, or cookies as desired.

Video

Notes

Yield: This frosting recipe will frost 12 cupcakes with a 1M piping tip similar to the photo of the chocolate cake in this post. It will also frost a 2-layer 8-inch cake.
Dairy-Free/Vegan Option: To make this recipe dairy-free or vegan, you can substitute the regular butter for a 50/50 mix of vegan butter and shortening. You can also substitute the whole milk with almond milk, soy milk, or another non-dairy milk.
Storage: Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate or freeze the frosting. Let it come to room temperature before using to frost a dessert.

Nutrition