Vanilla Strawberry Buttercream

Aug 4, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Origin: Tahitian Vanilla: Extract Easy

Cupcakes piped with vanilla strawberry buttercream

This buttercream is smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.

Prep 15 min

Cook —

Total 15 min

Servings 24

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

servings

1.0 cup (227.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
3 ½ cups (400.0 g)confectioners' sugar
2.0 tbsp (30.0 ml)heavy cream
¼ tsp (1.5 g)fine sea salt
1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml)VanillaGoods vanilla extract
1 ½ tbsp (22.5 ml)additional heavy cream, as needed
¾ cup (25.0 g)freeze-dried strawberries, ground to a fine powder

Make it at home

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Instructions

Beat the softened butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and slightly lighter in color.
Add the confectioners' sugar and strawberry powder in three additions on low speed, mixing each addition in before adding the next. Start slowly so the sugar stays in the bowl.
Add the vanilla, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the cream. Beat on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. The buttercream should look smooth and fluffy, not grainy.
Beat in the additional cream only if needed, adding it gradually, until the buttercream reaches the consistency you want. For piping, keep the buttercream slightly firmer than you would for spreading.

Tips

Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make vanilla strawberry buttercream?

Plan on 15 minutes of prep. It makes 3 cups.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.

This buttercream is smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

145 Calories / serving

8.5g Fat

17.7g Carbs

0.2g Protein

17.1g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~3480 cal · 204g fat · 425g carbs · 5g protein · 410g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 145 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 27 min·1.6 mi·~3150 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 20 min·1.0 mi·~2000 steps
Moderate cycling 15 min·3.0 mi
Swimming laps 20 min
Jogging 14 min·1.2 mi·~2250 steps
Stair climbing 13 min·~1150 steps
Dancing 24 min
Bodyweight circuit training 15 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 34 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.