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As a recipe developer, I've spent countless hours in my kitchen trying to crack the code on the perfect strawberry frosting, and I have to share my frosting “aha” moment with you: freeze-dried strawberries. After years of messing with strawberry puree or jam that made everything runny or fake-tasting extracts that didn’t hit the mark, I finally found the answer. Just grind up those crispy little berries into powder, and boom—intense strawberry flavor that doesn’t mess with the texture of your frosting.
The cream cheese base adds just the right tang to balance out the sweetness and make the strawberry flavor pop. It’s not overly sweet like some buttercreams can be, and it holds up beautifully, whether you’re piping swirls onto cupcakes or spreading it over a cake. Honestly, it’s so good, you’ll be tempted to eat it straight off the spoon (and I fully support that decision).
Here's a little pro tip I discovered after making this frosting dozens of times: don't completely pulverize all your freeze-dried strawberries into dust. I actually like to leave some tiny strawberry chunks in there. These little chunks rehydrate from the moisture in the frosting as it sits, creating these amazing little pockets of concentrated strawberry flavor. It adds this wonderful textural quality that makes people say, "wait, what IS that?" right before they ask for the recipe. Trust me, it's these little details that take a frosting from good to unforgettable.
How to Make Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ways to Use Strawberry Frosting
This versatile strawberry cream cheese frosting works with practically everything. It's perfect for spring gatherings, summer celebrations, Valentine's Day treats, or anytime you need a pop of fruity flavor and color. Try it:
- piped on vanilla cupcakes or strawberry cake
- on top of fudgy brownies
- swirled on chocolate cake or lemon cake
- spread on top of sugar cookie bars
- wherever you would normally use cream cheese frosting!
Freeze-Dried Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 28 g freeze-dried strawberries
- 113 g full-fat block cream cheese softened
- 57 g unsalted butter softened
- 240 g powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Using a food processor or blender, grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder; you should have around ½ cup (12 g). You can sift the powder with a fine mesh sieve to rid it of larger pieces and seeds. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute.
- Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and beat on high speed until completely combined and creamy, about 2 minutes.
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