Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting is the ultimate summer indulgence, featuring homemade strawberry puree. It's as dreamy and delicious as a bowl of fresh churned strawberry ice cream.
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Calories: 352kcal
Cost: $7
Ingredients
- 1 cup Strawberries sliced, you can use strawberry jam but it will be sweeter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar divided
- 8 oz Regular Brick Cream Cheese softened to room temperature
- 6 tablespoon Butter softened to room temperature
Instructions
- Note: This recipe makes about 4 cups. That is enough for 12 sky-high piped cupcakes, or 24 cupcakes spread with a knife. 6 cups (50% more) will cover a 2-layer 8-inch cake.
- Allow 8 oz Regular Brick Cream Cheese and 6 tablespoon Butter to come to room temperature. In a blender or food processor, puree 1 cup Strawberries. Pour through a double layer of cheesecloth, discarding any solids or seeds left behind. You need to have at least ½ cup puree. You can use a mesh strainer, but it wastes more, and you'll need more strawberries.
- Put the puree and 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract in a small sized heavy bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil, stirring often with a silicone spoonula or spatula to keep the mixture from scorching on the bottom of the pan. Cook the mixture down until it is thick like tomato paste. The goal is to have about ¼ cup. This will take about 15 minutes. Scrape the thickened puree into a cup and chill.
- With an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth with no lumps. Add the strawberry puree. Mix a minute more until smooth.
- At med-low speed, mix in 3 cups Powdered Sugar. Bump the speed up to medium or medium-high and whip until a firm consistency, about 4-7 minutes. It will thicken as you whip. I whip until it looks super thick and stiff. If it isn't getting stiff enough, try adding a bit of cornstarch, a teaspoon at a time.
Notes
How To Make Thicker Frosting
The biggest difference in creating a thicker frosting is to whip it longer. Much like making whipped cream, the frosting will stiffen and thicken the longer you mix it. If you find the frosting to be thin, try whipping it longer.
If you want a stiffer frosting without making it sweeter, add a bit of cornstarch. Start with 1 Tbsp, but you can add 2 tablespoon to your preference. Lastly, frosting will thicken quite a bit when refrigerated.
More Tips
- Use full-fat cream cheese in the brick - not whipped, low fat, or spreadable.
- Chill your mixing bowl overnight in the freezer or refrigerator, or at least 1 hour before mixing. This helps the frosting set up even though the ingredients are room temperature.
- Make sure to let your cream cheese and butter soften before making your frosting! Otherwise, you get lumps. I cut the butter and cream cheese into cubes and allow to sit on the counter for about 1 hour.
- Make sure to let the butter and cream cheese soften on it's own. Melting it in the microwave may produce uneven results.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.125cake | Calories: 352kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2.2g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 38mg | Sugar: 44g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.2mg
