Sturdy Raspberry Buttercream
Silky smooth and perfectly sweet, this buttercream uses freeze dried fruit to bring a vibrant raspberry flavor without compromising the texture, making it ideal for tall cakes, soft fillings, piping, or even cakes that will be out in high heat. Plus, that gorgeous color will brighten up any dessert!
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Years ago, I struggled and struggled my way through creating a perfect raspberry buttercream. It all started by accident. On a whim, I’d made a quick raspberry jam for use in a cake filling. I was in such a rush (I had a 6 week old baby and it was Thanksgiving), so I just threw this all together when I had spare moments and hoped for the best.
The result was one of my most loved birthday cakes ever. Like, everyone really loved that filling.
Only I couldn’t remember what I’d done. It had something to do with raspberries and cornstarch, but honestly, I may never recreate that exact recipe. But part of what made it so perfect was how raspberry-y the filling was without separating or turning soupy. And it was strong enough to hold up under the weight of a large, 3 layer cake.
It was my unicorn of frostings.
So, in the years since, I’ve tried and failed to make such a perfectly flavored and structured raspberry (or any berry) frosting. And while I’ll keep trying to recreate that original with its fresh raspberry compote/jam/preserve/thingie, I found a very close fill-in that’s even more sturdy and brightly colored.
This simple, fail-proof recipe uses the most undervalued ingredient: freeze dried raspberries. I love using freeze dried fruit in my frostings. It has intense flavor yet won’t alter the texture or integrity of whatever you’re baking. And it tastes far better than adding an extract.
So, do yourself a favor and grab that pack of freeze dried fruit next time you see it. Not because you’re suddenly going to be all healthy and snack on fruit all day. But because you’re ready to rock your next fruit-flavored cake.
Why this recipe works
First, the basic American buttercream recipe works best if you use European style butter (which feels ironic, I know). European butter has less water and is better suited to a smooth, creamy, silky frosting. As well, I like to whip my buttercreams for a few minutes to get them light and airy. However, you have to then stir them well afterward to remove the larger air bubbles (this does not deflate the buttercream—it’s still light and airy). Adding finely ground freeze dried raspberries at the end is key. It ensures they do not turn gummy in the whipping stage. As well, stirring them in after whipping is actually helpful for smoothing out the frosting and releasing those large air bubbles. So it’s doubly helpful!
One bonus of using freeze dried raspberries is the vibrant flavor and color. It would take quite a bit of jam or preserve to match the flavor of this buttercream, which makes it very soft. As well, no amount of jam can match that bright pink flavor! It’s why I always opt for freeze dried unless I’m making a filling.
Key ingredients
Unsalted butter. I highly recommend European butter, such as Kerrygold. It has less water and creates a much creamier, more cooperative buttercream. Whatever brand you use, make sure it’s room temperature but not melty—it should be soft but still somewhat matte in appearance.
Powdered sugar. Also known as icing sugar or confectioners sugar. If you live in high humidity or if the bag/box has been opened, sift your sugar before using.
Salt. Use finely ground sea salt, if you’re able, to help prevent over-salting the buttercream.
Vanilla extract. I prefer pure extract, as it has a better overall flavor.
Heavy whipping cream. You can use half and half or milk, but those will make the buttercream much looser, which defeats the purpose of a “sturdy” buttercream, so try to use heavy cream (also known as double cream) if you can.
Freeze dried raspberries. The star of this recipe! I buy mine at Trader Joe’s, but Target and our local grocery stores all sell them, too. They’re usually near the dried fruit and nuts. You can also buy them online here.
How to make sturdy raspberry buttercream
1. Cream butter and powdered sugar. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and beat on low at first to avoid a sugar cloud. Increase to high for about a minute, until very smooth. Be sure to scrape the bowl a few times as you go.
2. Add vanilla and salt. Beat again until smooth.
3. Whip for 3-5 minutes. Beat on high, stopping once to scrape down the bowl. (If you have a paddle attachment with a rubber edge, you should only beat on medium-high to avoid a giant mess!)
4. Grind freeze dried raspberries into a fine powder. Make sure no large chunks remain. It should resemble red powdered sugar.
5. Beat raspberries into buttercream on low. You’ll want to scrape the bowl to mix all the way to the edges. Mix until smooth again.
6. Add heavy cream, as needed. Do this in small splashes of about 1 tablespoon each. You only want as much as is needed to make it smooth, which will depend on your climate and how warm your house is.
7. Beat until smooth. You can beat it on medium for about 30 seconds, just to make sure it’s thoroughly mixed and smooth. Avoid beating for very long, as over mixing the raspberries can turn them gummy.
Enjoy!
Pairs well with:
This is one of those frostings that will honestly go with almost any cake. Here are some of my favorites.
Turn this cake into a dark chocolate raspberry mocha cake (omit the orange from the cake)
Use raspberry jam filling and this buttercream to make raspberry lemonade cupcakes
Turn these cupcakes into raspberry chocolate cupcakes
Frost the outside of this lemon mascarpone cake with raspberry frosting instead
Turn these into lemon curd raspberry vanilla cupcakes
For an extra berry-y treat, top these chocolate raspberry cupcakes with raspberry buttercream!
Bakery style vanilla cake—a perfectly summery combo!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
Why won’t my raspberries grind up finely?
You need to use a small food processor or a spice grinder. My coffee bean grinder actually came with a spice grinder attachment, which is why I don’t care that the cord doesn’t retract into the machine—I use the spice attachment all the time for baking. Also be sure your grinder/processor is filled high enough. Some food processors won’t do much if they are under-filled. I usually grind up a whole bag of berries then use what I need and toss the rest, since an opened bag of freeze dried fruit doesn’t last long.
If you’re using the right machine and it’s filled at least halfway and it still won’t grind finely, your fruit may have been exposed to air. Make sure to use a fresh package or one that was well-sealed after opening sot hat moisture does not impede it’s grind-ability.
Can I use another freeze dried fruit?
Yes! I first tried this with freeze dried strawberries and have used quite a few fruits, mostly berries. However, any fruit should work as long as it’s freeze dried and finely ground.
What cake does this go well with?
Just about any cake! See my note above for some of my favorite combinations.
Where do I find freeze dried raspberries?
I buy mine at Trader Joe’s, but Target and our local grocery stores all sell them, too. They’re usually near the dried fruit and nuts. You can also buy them online here.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making this buttercream. Affiliate links provided.
1M piping tips and Reusable silicone piping bags to pipe cupcakes or make rosettes
Offset spatula to frost a cake
Sturdy Raspberry Buttercream
- total time: 10-15 minutes
yields: about 2 ½ to 3 cups (enough to frost a 2-3 layer cake or pipe 24 cupcakes)
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter*, softened slightly**
- 4-6 cups (500-750g) powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons (20g) pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (3g) sea salt
- ½ to 1 ounce (usually one small bag) freeze dried raspberries, finely ground
- 2-4 tablespoons (30-60g) heavy whipping cream
Instructions:
- Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat first on low then slowly increase to high until smooth after each addition. Scrape down the bowl after every other cup.
- Once you’ve added 4 cups of powdered sugar, add the vanilla and salt. Beat on medium until blended. Turn the mixer up to high and beat for 3-5 minutes, until fluffy and very smooth.
- Using a small food processor or a spice grinder, finely grind the raspberries into a powder, similar to the texture of powdered sugar. Start with half the bag of berries and grind the rest only if needed (unless your grinder won’t create a fine powder–this is often because it’s not full enough).
- Add the powdered berries to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium-low until blended. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as well as the paddle attachment and beat again until everything is smooth and a homogeneous color.
- Add heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time and beating on medium until blended, until the mixture is very smooth and spreadable. Avoid using too much cream.
- Once the frosting is smooth, beat on medium for 30-60 seconds to ensure it is well-mixed and perfectly smooth. If any air bubbles remain, stir by hand for 1 minute to remove these.
Enjoy!
Buttercream can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
*I highly recommend European style butter for frosting! It has less water and makes a creamier frosting.
**If your butter has become shiny or oily, put it back in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until it firms up a bit (not hard) and is matte in appearance.
