This creamy strawberry frosting is made with just a few ingredients and has the perfect consistency for decorating cakes and desserts. Unlike some strawberry icing recipes, this strawberry cream cheese frosting gets its beautiful color from a fresh strawberry reduction versus red food coloring.
While strawberry flavors pair well with chocolate cakes, I really love using this recipe when I make strawberry lemonade cupcakes. It’s also worth mentioning that if you wanted to frost a strawberry cake that’s okay too. The flavor is still sweet and it’s so creamy that it’s not overpowering.
If you have decorated cakes or cupcakes at all you know that it takes a good frosting recipe for the piping to come out perfect. So when you don’t want to use buttercream, I recommend going with a cream cheese base because it compliments most flavors and holds its shape well.
Ingredients for Making Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Making the Strawberry Purée Reduction
- Heat the chopped strawberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- As the strawberries cook, use a potato masher to break them down to be as close to a puree as possible. Stir frequently as it continues to simmer and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Cook for about 10 minutes or until the puree has reduced by half, which will yield a 1/2 cup of fresh strawberry puree when finished. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature in the fridge before making the frosting.
Making the Frosting
- Using an electric mixer beat the softened cream cheese and butter until it’s light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and continue mixing.
- Mix in 5 cups of confectioners’ sugar. To reduce the mess, work in batches.
- Beat in the cooled strawberry reduction.
- When piping cupcakes, if you are slower keep your batch of frosting in the fridge until you are ready to add it to the piping bag. This will keep it firm so it holds its shape.
- If you are using the icing in between cake layers, freeze each layer first. This makes it easy for the crumb coat to go on and you don’t waste frosting.
- Can’t get ahold of fresh strawberries? Use strawberry jam instead or thaw frozen strawberries.
If you are decorating and you find your frosting is going flat, place it back in the fridge for a few minutes. You may also add in a little meringue powder if you have it.
Chances are not enough liquid evaporated during the reduction process or it was added to the cream cheese mixture before it was totally cooled.
Yep! Just add the frosting to a freezer bag and freeze for up to one month.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Strawberry Puree Reduction Instructions:
- In a 2 quart saucepan, heat the chopped strawberries over medium heat. Bring the strawberry mixture to a boil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
- Use a potato masher to break down the strawberries as they cook. You want them to be as finely pureed as possible. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, until nearly all liquid has evaporated.
- Cook for about 10 minutes total, until the puree has reduced by half (you will have ½ cup of strawberry puree when done.)
- Remove puree reduction from heat and cool to room temperature in the refrigerator before preparing frosting.
Frosting Instructions:
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
- Add in vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Beat in 5 cups of powdered sugar, working in batches to reduce the mess.
- Beat in remaining cooled strawberry puree reduction.
Notes
- When piping cupcakes, if you are slower keep your batch of frosting in the fridge until you are ready to add it to the piping bag. This will keep it firm so it holds its shape.
- If you are using the icing in between cake layers, freeze each layer first. This makes it easy for the crumb coat to go on and you don’t waste frosting.
- Can’t get ahold of fresh strawberries? Use strawberry jam instead or thaw frozen strawberries.
Nutrition
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