Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Recipe

103 Comments

4.87 from 22 votes
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This homemade Strawberry Buttercream Frosting is loaded with fresh strawberries and is creamy and delicious for topping cakes, cupcakes, and more! Just six real ingredients, and easy to make!

Bag of Strawberry Buttercream frosting with frosting tip.

Baked goods like cakes, cupcakes, and cookies taste amazing with this scrumptious, fresh-tasting Strawberry Buttercream frosting. It’s so tasty, comes together easily, and is made with only six real ingredients, including strawberries, butter, and sugar. The pink color and strawberry flavor are all natural from the strawberries. It’s amazing on everything from Strawberry Cake to Chocolate Cupcakes or swirled on top of a chewy sugar cookie! Such a favorite frosting!

Cake frosted with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting on a pewter cake stand.

How to Make Strawberry Buttercream

My family loves this frosting! I get requests for it often. It’s so good and such a favorite that my niece wanted it for a graduation celebration cake. Strawberry lovers adore it – but everyone that I’ve served it to loves it, too! The taste is fresh and amazing – I hope you try it soon.

This buttercream frosting only takes a few ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

  • Butter – Use unsalted butter that is softened to room temperature
  • Confectioner’s sugar – Also called powdered sugar
  • Strawberry syrup – A strawberry simple syrup made with fresh strawberries, sugar, and water
  • Vanilla extract -Use this homemade vanilla or your favorite high-quality vanilla
  • Half-and-half – Or use cream or whole milk
  • Salt – Use a pinch of kosher salt to balance and enhance the sweetness

Tip for Bakery-Perfect Buttercream!

Here’s a tip to make your buttercream frosting light, fluffy, and bakery-perfect!

To make my strawberry buttercream frosting, you’ll want to be sure to follow the instructions of adding the confectioner’s sugar 1/2 cup at a time and then turning your mixer on high speed for the fluffiest of frostings.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Mix together butter and sugar. Cream together the softened butter and a small amount of confectioner’s sugar at a time.

Combine with strawberry and vanilla. After each bit of the sugar has been added, add a bit of strawberry syrup at a time. Add the vanilla and then beat on high for about 20 seconds to lighten the frosting.

Mix with half-and-half. Add one tablespoon of half-and-half at a time until the buttercream has reached a consistency that will hold shape. Add a pinch of salt and whip on high for a final 20 seconds.

Frost the dessert or store it. Use this immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to three days.

Storage Tips

To refrigerate. Cover well or place in an airtight container with a lid for up to three days.

To frost the dessert. To use once refrigerated, slowly allow it to reach room temperature and then beat on low speed until the buttercream is smooth before using.

Sugar cookie covered in swirled topping of Strawberry Buttercream Frosting. Frosting bag with tip in background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you refrigerate buttercream frosting to use later?

Yes. Just cover the frosting well, or be sure to place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days.
When ready to frost, let it sit out of the fridge for a bit to slowly reach room temperature. Whip on low speed until the buttercream is smooth.

This delicious buttercream works perfectly on so many baked goods, from cakes and cupcakes to topping cookies or just placing a dollop between two vanilla wafers.

Here’s my Strawberry Buttercream Frosting recipe. I can’t wait to hear how you love it.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting Recipe

4.87 from 22 votes
This homemade Strawberry Buttercream Frosting is loaded with fresh strawberries and is creamy and delicious for topping cakes, cupcakes, and more! Just six real ingredients, and easy to make!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 16 (2 tablespoons) servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 1/2 – 4 cups (397-454 g) confectioner’s sugar, sifted
  • 4 tablespoons (80 g) strawberry syrup
  • 1 tablespoon (14 g) vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) half-and-half, heavy cream or whole milk
  • pinch (0.4 g) kosher salt

Instructions 

  • Cream together butter and ½ cup of confectioner’s sugar at a time. After each cup of sugar has been added, add strawberry syrup 1 tablespoon at a time. Add vanilla and then beat on high for about 20 seconds to lighten the frosting.
  • Add half-and-half, one tablespoon at a time until the buttercream has reached a consistency where it will hold it’s shape. Add pinch of salt and whip on high for a final 20 seconds.
  • Use immediately or cover and refrigerate up to three days. To use once refrigerated, slowly allow to reach room temperature and then beat on low speed until the buttercream is smooth before using.

Notes

Makes 2 cups.

Storage Tips

To refrigerate. Cover well or place in an airtight container with a lid for up to three days.
To frost the dessert. To use once refrigerated, slowly allow it to reach room temperature and then beat on low speed until the buttercream is smooth before using.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 tablespoons | Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 13mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 362IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.04mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

4.87 from 22 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Review




103 Comments

  1. Mims says:

    I don’t understand how the picture shows actual flecks of strawberry, but there is no real strawberries in this recipe. Is the picture just for show? I would like my frosting to look like that picture, but don’t see how that can happen with these ingredients/

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      There are real strawberries in the recipe. They are in the strawberry syrup that I use in the buttercream. The link is provided to the recipe for my strawberry syrup so that you can see how it is made.

      Thanks!

    2. Cherie says:

      5 stars
      If you look at the recipe ingredients list, you’ll see she mentions strawberry syrup. Click on the link for that recipe & you’ll have the strawberry speckle mystery solved ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Charlene says:

    Hi, I’m trying to find a buttercream topping/filling for a 3 year old’s birthday cake and this looks amazing! But can it be done without an electric mixer?? I can get one but not in time for her birthday! Thanks

  3. Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says:

    Gorgeous! I want to eat it by the spoonful!

    1. Wende says:

      The flavor of the frosting was delicious and the consistency was just right. Mine wasn’t as pink as your picture….thought later I should have added a drop of food coloring.

  4. Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says:

    I’m not sure it would make it to the cake. I’d probably eat it straight from the bag. Love frosting shots ๐Ÿ˜‰

  5. Chels R. says:

    I love frosting and this looks excellent!!

  6. Nutmeg Nanny says:

    Oh, this looks so sweet ๐Ÿ™‚ I love strawberry frosting and yours looks perfect!

  7. Nessa says:

    I absolutely have to try this! It is stunning ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. Robyn says:

    Yours looks like it has mashed strawberries in it… I can see red bits. Did you add some? Just wondering!

  9. Tieghan says:

    This is just so pretty! The recipe looks perfect!

  10. Kathy says:

    That frosting looks delicious! Do you have a favorite cupcake recipe to go with it?