The Story & Intro
Hi, I’m INAYA, 38, from the beautiful island of Crete in Greece. Cooking has been part of my life since I was a child, learning from my grandmother how to make traditional Greek dishes full of love and flavor. I believe food brings people together, especially women who want to share warmth and happiness through cooking. I like to keep things simple but tasty, mixing classic recipes with a little creativity. Sometimes my kitchen gets messy, but that’s where the fun is! Whether you’re new to cooking or have some experience, I’m here to help you enjoy making delicious meals that feel like home. Cooking is about more than just food it’s about sharing stories and making memories.
Today, I want to talk to you about something small but powerful: Strawberry Purée for Buttercream Frosting. Oh, my friend… this little jewel of a recipe has saved so many of my cakes. When I first made strawberry purée for buttercream frosting, I stood in my kitchen surrounded by bowls of fresh strawberries from the local market. The scent alone felt like summer dancing through the windows.
In Crete, strawberries come in bright, sweet bursts in spring. I always buy more than I need because I know I will turn them into something beautiful. And this strawberry purée for buttercream frosting has become one of my secret weapons when I want my cakes to taste like sunshine.
Many women ask me, “How do I make buttercream taste real, not artificial?” My answer is always the same: use real fruit. Real strawberries. Real flavor. Real love. Strawberry purée for buttercream frosting transforms a simple vanilla buttercream into something romantic, soft pink, and deeply flavorful.
When I make strawberry purée for buttercream frosting, I feel like I’m bottling a memory sweet, slightly tangy, and vibrant. Let me show you how I do it in my messy little kitchen.
Why I Love Making This Recipe
I love this recipe because it feels honest. No artificial flavoring. No strange powders. Just strawberries, gently cooked and blended until smooth and glossy.
Strawberry purée for buttercream frosting gives me control. I can make it thick and concentrated so it doesn’t water down my frosting. I can adjust the sweetness. I can deepen the flavor.
I also love the color. That natural pink tone makes me smile every time. When I spread strawberry buttercream over a cake, it looks like it belongs at a spring wedding or a little girl’s birthday party.
And let me tell you something important: homemade strawberry purée makes buttercream taste like strawberries — not candy.
Ingredients & Little Kitchen Secrets
🛒 Ingredients
- 500 grams fresh strawberries (about 1 pound), washed and hulled
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
That’s it. Three ingredients. Simple. Beautiful.
My Little Kitchen Secrets
Choose ripe strawberries. I smell them before I buy them. If they smell sweet and strong, they will taste sweet.
Don’t skip the lemon juice. It brightens the flavor and keeps the purée vibrant.
Cook it down properly. This step makes all the difference. If you add raw strawberry purée to buttercream, you risk a watery frosting. I always reduce it.
How I Make It, Step by Step
I want you to feel confident, so I will walk you through exactly how I make strawberry purée for buttercream frosting.
1. Prepare the Strawberries
I wash the strawberries gently and remove the green tops. I cut them into halves or quarters so they cook evenly.
2. Cook Them Down
I place the strawberries in a small saucepan over medium heat. I add the sugar and lemon juice.
As the heat rises, the strawberries begin to release their juices. I stir gently and let them simmer. The kitchen smells like summer fields.
I cook them for about 15–20 minutes. The strawberries soften completely and break down. I use a wooden spoon to mash them slightly.
3. Blend Until Smooth
I remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly. Then I blend the mixture using a hand blender until it becomes silky smooth.
If I want an ultra-smooth finish, I strain it through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. For buttercream, I usually strain it.
4. Reduce Further (Very Important!)
I return the blended purée to the saucepan and simmer it again until it thickens. I want a concentrated, almost jam-like consistency. This step usually takes another 10–15 minutes.
When I drag a spoon across the bottom of the pan, it should leave a clear path for a moment. That’s when I know it’s ready.
5. Cool Completely
I pour the strawberry purée into a bowl and let it cool completely before adding it to buttercream. Warm purée will melt your frosting.
Patience here makes everything perfect.
How I Use It in Buttercream
For a standard buttercream made with:
- 250 grams unsalted butter
- 450 grams powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons strawberry purée
I whip the butter first until pale and fluffy. Then I add powdered sugar gradually. Finally, I add the cooled strawberry purée one spoon at a time.
I taste. I adjust. I smile.
The frosting turns light pink and smells incredible.
How I Serve It at Home
I use strawberry buttercream on vanilla sponge cakes, chocolate cupcakes, and even sandwiched between shortbread cookies.
For birthdays, I pipe big swirls on cupcakes and top them with fresh strawberry slices.
For spring gatherings, I frost a simple two-layer cake and decorate it with edible flowers from my garden.
Sometimes I spread it on graham crackers for my nieces. They think it’s magic.
Storage, Reheating & Make-Ahead Tips
I store strawberry purée for buttercream frosting in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If I want to keep it longer, I freeze it in small portions for up to 3 months.
Before using refrigerated purée, I let it come to room temperature. If it thickens too much, I stir it gently. I never microwave it too hot.
Make-ahead tip: I often prepare the purée the day before baking. Cold, rested purée actually tastes deeper and richer.
100-Word Short Version
Strawberry Purée for Buttercream Frosting adds real fruit flavor and natural pink color to cakes and cupcakes. I cook fresh strawberries with sugar and lemon juice, blend until smooth, then reduce the mixture until thick and concentrated. After cooling completely, I add a few tablespoons to classic buttercream for a silky, fruity frosting that tastes like real strawberries. This purée stores well in the fridge for 5 days or freezes beautifully. It’s simple, fresh, and perfect for elevating homemade desserts with natural sweetness and vibrant flavor.
Recipe Card
⏱️ Time
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
🛒 Ingredients
500 g fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
👩🍳 Instructions
- Wash, hull, and chop strawberries.
- Place strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat for 15–20 minutes until soft.
- Blend until smooth and strain if desired.
- Return to pan and simmer until thick and concentrated.
- Cool completely before adding to buttercream.
📝 Notes
- Always cool purée before mixing into frosting.
- Reduce well to avoid runny buttercream.
- Freeze in small portions for convenience.
🍽️ Nutrition (per tablespoon approx.)
Calories: 15
Carbohydrates: 4g
Sugar: 3g
Fat: 0g
Protein: 0g
Fiber: 0.5g
Strawberry Purée for Buttercream Frosting
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: About 1 cup (240 ml) thick purée 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This homemade Strawberry Purée for Buttercream Frosting gives your frosting real strawberry flavor and a natural blush-pink color—no extracts, no artificial taste. I gently simmer fresh strawberries with a touch of sugar and lemon, blend until silky, then reduce the purée until thick and concentrated so it won’t water down buttercream. Perfect for cakes, cupcakes, macarons, and fillings when you want a bright, fruity finish that tastes like spring.
Ingredients
- 500 g (about 1 lb) fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Wash, hull, and chop the strawberries into halves or quarters.
- Add strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until the berries soften and release lots of juice.
- Remove from heat and blend until completely smooth (use an immersion blender or countertop blender).
- For an extra-silky purée, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds.
- Return the purée to the saucepan and simmer on low to medium-low for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and concentrated (it should coat a spoon and briefly hold a line when you drag a spoon through it).
- Transfer to a bowl or jar and cool completely to room temperature before adding to buttercream.
- Use 2–4 tablespoons in a standard batch of buttercream, adding gradually and tasting as you go.
Notes
For stable buttercream, always reduce the purée until thick—thin purée can make frosting loose. If your strawberries are very sweet, reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon. Lemon juice brightens flavor and helps the color stay vibrant. Store purée in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze in small portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and stir well before using.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: 15
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Conclusion
My dear friend, strawberry purée for buttercream frosting may seem small, but it changes everything. It turns ordinary cakes into something special. It fills the kitchen with the scent of fresh fruit and sweet memories.
When you make this, don’t rush. Stir slowly. Taste often. Let the strawberries teach you how beautiful simple ingredients can be.
I send you warmth from my little kitchen in Crete. May your cakes be soft, your frosting silky, and your home full of love. 🍓💛
