I’m always on the hunt for frostings that are flavorful, yet a little less sweet for cupcakes and cakes, and this Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is the BEST. It’s easy, intensely strawberry flavored, and a lot less sweet than traditional buttercream. And it’s such a pretty color!
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
It can be hard to make a frosting for home-baked goods that tastes as good as the kind you’d get at the bakery. This one though, it totally passes muster. It’s naturally sweet from the strawberries, creamy from cream cheese and butter, and it’s a perfect match for Vanilla Cupcakes, Chocolate Cupcakes, or Vanilla Cake.
It goes above and beyond plain Cream Cheese Frosting!
The strawberry flavor, which comes from freeze-dried berries, is intense and bright. And it makes the mixture the most amazing pink color. It requires just a few steps to make, too, so you don’t have to worry about setting aside too much time.
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Ingredients You Need
To make this easy frosting recipe you’ll need to have the following ingredients on hand.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: These are typically sold near the dried fruit or in the produce department. They are crunchy and have had all of the moisture content removed.
- Cream cheese: I use a traditional block of full-fat cream cheese here. You’ll want to let this rest at room temperature so it’s soft to the touch.
- Unsalted butter: You’ll want to let this rest at room temperature so it’s soft to the touch.
- Pure vanilla extract: This adds a nice flavor base that pairs well with the berry flavor.
- Maple syrup: You can also use honey if you prefer. (Though avoid honey for kids under 12 months old.)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s an overview of the process involved in this recipe so you know what to expect. See the full recipe at the end of the post for the specifics.
- Grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder with a blender or food processor.
- Add to a bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix with a electric hand mixer until fluffy and evenly mixed.
- Place into a zip-top bag and seal. Cut off one bottom corner to use as a piping bag. Frost onto cupcakes or add to cake layers.
Vanilla Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting
We love to pair this frosting with my lower sugar Vanilla Cupcakes and my easy Vanilla Cake. It would also be great with Chocolate Cupcakes or my Easy Chocolate Cake.
How to Store
You can make the frosting up to 24 hours ahead. Store in a storage bag in the fridge, with as much air removed as possible and sealed, until ready to use.
Best Tips for Success
- Let the cream cheese and butter soften at room temperature for a few hours so it’s very soft to the touch. This will help it mix up smoothly.
- Grind the freeze-dried strawberries to form a fine powder. (Look for them in your store near the dried fruit or in the produce department.) They have less moisture and more concentrated flavor than fresh strawberries or strawberry puree, so they are my preference here.
- Add ¼-½ cup powdered sugar to make the frosting sweeter if you’d like. (I sometimes do this if serving to older kids and/or adults who may expect a sweeter frosting.)
- Top with sprinkles if desired.
- Use freeze-dried blueberries in place of the strawberries if you’d like a different flavor.
- Make this dairy-free with vegan cream cheese and butter.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it, so please comment below to share!
Favorite Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 8 ounces cream cheese (I like full fat, softened at room temperature)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick, softened at room temperature)
- 2-3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup powdered sugar optional
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Place the strawberries into a blender or clean spice grinder. Grind into a fine powder.
- Add to a medium bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend well using a handheld electric mixer on high speed to make a fluffy frosting.
- Transfer to a zip-top quart-size bag. Seal. Cut off one bottom corner and pipe onto cupcakes. (You can also just use a spatula to frost onto a cake.)
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Let the cream cheese and butter soften at room temperature for a few hours so it’s very soft to the touch. This will help it mix up smoothly.
- Grind the strawberries to form a fine powder.
- Add ¼ cup powdered sugar to make the frosting sweeter if you’d like. (I sometimes do this if serving to older kids and/or adults who may expect a sweeter frosting.)
- Top with sprinkles if desired.
- Use freeze-dried blueberries in place of the strawberries if you’d like a different flavor.
Nutrition
This post was first published March 2020.
Made the cupcakes and strawberry frosting today. Very easy to do. The dried strawberries definitely make the frosting, bright pinky red. I am just wondering. I put them in the refrigerator since they have cream cheese in them. I wasn’t sure how that would be on the counter. We’re not eating them till tomorrow For birthday celebrations
Yes, the fridge would be best overnight.
Could you make this the same way but without cream cheese?
You would need to substitute something. Did you have something in mind?
Is there a substitute for freeze dried strawberries? Would fresh work somehow?
Blending in fresh berries will make the frosting too liquidy. You can make the frosting plain though, and decorate with sliced fresh berries though.
Hi! Would this work on a 9×13 inch cake or would I need to double the recipe
I would double it!
Delicious! The strawberry flavor is so good! I prefer more sweetness and butter cream frosting type consistency on chocolate cupcakes so I made the base recipe then added more powdered sugar to taste.
Love your recipes and this one was very tasty – made it to top your chocolate muffins for my kiddos daycare for a valentine’s snack and I’m told they loved them!
For next time, can the butter be omitted or replaced? Butter cream frosting makes my tongue feel kind of tingly, which I’m not a fan of, and this did the same for me. I did think about it when making it, but didn’t have time to try something different!
Sure, just replace it with more cream cheese!
This is the first time I’ve ever reviewed a recipe but I wanted to say this is hands down the best icing I have EVER had, including icing on the fanciest of bakery cupcakes I’ve eaten. I used freeze dried strawberries that were already in powder form (purchased from amazon) so I used 1/4 cup or roughly half of the 45 gram container I bought. This was AMAZING, not just for kids cupcakes but I will use this to frost cakes in the future too!
I’m so glad to hear that and thank you for leaving a review!
If I don’t have time the day before to make this frosting, can I make ahead and freeze it?
I haven’t frozen it but it might be okay, or it’s fine for a few days in the fridge. Put into a storage bag and remove as much air as possible before sealing.
My son (nearly 6 years old) and I made this today for my husband’s birthday and oh my goodness! This frosting was so delicious. We used this to top the chocolate cake recipe and it was a fantastic combination. We also opted to use seedless raspberry spread between the two layers. Seriously- some of the best frosting I have ever had!
These were incredible!! We made your cupcakes gluten free and this with maple syrup. Kids gobbled them up.
Hi, this frosting looks delicious! How much cups of frosting does this recipe make? 😋😋
I hope you have a good and safe day 😊
Hi
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
Looking to make this.
Do you know if it’s possible to make this frosting with something vegan ?
Coconut milk or vegan cream cheese?
Thanks!
I would use vegan cream cheese which works really similarly. Enjoy!
Made this using 3 tbsp syrup and no extra sugar to frost 2nd birthday cake. Topped with sliced strawberries. Was delicious.
Forgot rating.
Can we use fresh strawberries instead of the freeze dried ones?
Fresh berries in this mixture will make the frosting soupy so I don’t recommend that.
Omg this is so delicious! I made this a day ahead for my son’s bday. Only had 1/2 cup of freeze dried strawberries left as I didn’t realise my son ate them up 😂
I used mascarpone instead of cream cheese and only used 2 tbsp of honey. The flavor was fantastic! I couldn’t stop licking it off the whisk haha I’ve now stored it in the fridge to frost and pipe a small 4-inch mini cake and 6 cupcakes (I used the easy vanilla cake recipe for that) ☺️