This raspberry buttercream frosting is made with just 7 simple ingredients! This raspberry buttercream gets its bold flavor from freeze-dried raspberries, which also makes the frosting naturally pink! Unlike fresh raspberries, freeze-dried raspberries give an intense flavor without moisture, so our American buttercream stays thick and pipeable. I love using this raspberry frosting on cupcakes, but it's just as good on layer cakes or on top of cookies!
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This raspberry buttercream has everything you want in a fruity frosting - sweet, full of flavor, and no need to add food coloring! Just like my strawberry cream cheese frosting, this recipe uses freeze-dried raspberries to get that intense flavor and color.
This is a simple American buttercream recipe, so you will need a stand mixer or handheld mixer to whip it all together! But it only takes a few minutes and holds its shape beautifully when piped onto cupcakes. I used this raspberry frosting on my raspberry almond cupcakes and raspberry white chocolate filled cupcakes and I can't get enough of it!
Using Freeze-Dried Raspberries
Let's get this straight, people! Freeze-dried raspberries are not the same as frozen raspberries! The beauty of using freeze-dried fruit in baking is that all of the moisture has been removed through a special dehydration process.
This means we still get an intense flavor and color but none of the excess liquid that can make baked goods soggy or gloopy (I'm looking at you, runny fruit pies).
I usually find these at the grocery store. Trader Joe's almost always has some, but I've also bought them online!
Seven Key Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: If you can use European-style butter for this frosting, do it. That extra butterfat is going to add more flavor to your frosting.
- Heavy Cream: Adding a dash of heavy cream will help the frosting if it's too thick. I've tested this recipe with both heavy cream and whole milk, so you can use either!
- Freeze-Dried Raspberries: Make sure the freeze-dried raspberries are pulsed really well in a blender or food processor. Otherwise, if you have any chunks, they'll get stuck in the piping tip when you're frosting cupcakes (been there, drove me crazy).
- Lemon: Ok, trust me on this - a squeeze of lemon juice is going to make all the difference! I do this in my strawberry frosting from my strawberry funfetti cake and it amplifies the fruit flavors!
Let's Make Some Frosting!
Mix Butter + Sugar
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or with a handheld mixer, beat the room temperature butter with the icing sugar on low speed until combined. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until super thick!
Add Other Ingredients
Stop the mixer and add the freeze-dried raspberry powder, lemon juice, salt, & vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl and then mix on high speed. If your frosting is too thick, pour in some of the heavy cream until it's the consistency you want. Frost your cakes or cupcakes and enjoy!
Ways to Use This Frosting
These are some of my fave recipes that you could use with this frosting recipe!
- As a frosting on buttercream cookies - YUM, how cute would that be for Valentine's Day since it's naturally pink?
- Swap out the strawberry for raspberry frosting with my vanilla cake with strawberry filling.
- Frost some coconut cupcakes with this buttercream. I also think filling the coconut cupcakes with raspberry jam would be phenomenal.
- For a lil chocolate raspberry combo, frost a chocolate ganache cake with raspberry buttercream but keep the chocolate ganache filling.
- I love lemon and raspberries as a flavor combo, so pipe this frosting on top of lemon poppy seed cupcakes filled with lemon curd!
Storage
If you aren't using the frosting right away or have leftovers, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature, and rewhip with a stand mixer before using.
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Raspberry Buttercream with Freeze-Dried Raspberries
Ingredients
Raspberry Frosting
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
- 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup (25 grams) freeze-dried raspberries blended into a powder
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, combine the room temperature butter with the confectioners' sugar on low speed. Once combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter, 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar
- Add the salt, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and raspberry powder.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 cup (25 grams) freeze-dried raspberries
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- If the frosting isn't as creamy as you would like, add in the heavy cream and beat on medium speed until spreadable. You might not need all of it!¼ cup heavy cream
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