How to Make Naturally Pink Frosting with Strawberries

Inside: Here’s a pink frosting without food coloring! This strawberry frosting is made with just a few simple ingredients.

Yes, you can achieve a pretty pink color without food dyes! (Wondering if artificial colors are safe? Read my take here: Is Artificial Food Coloring Safe For Kids?)

This pink color comes from blending fresh (or frozen) strawberries, and using the puree in a zingy buttercream frosting.

This frosting is perfect for frosting a layer cake, cupcakes, or batch of sugar cookies. (Try my soft and buttery Whole Wheat Sugar Cookies.)

This pastel pink is an ideal shade for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, or just everyday.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Whole Wheat Heart Cookies with Raspberry Buttercream

Ingredients You Need For This Pink Frosting

• Fresh strawberries: You can also use frozen. Defrost or microwave them before blending.
• Powdered sugar: Also known as confectioner’s sugar.
• Butter: Softened to room temperature.
• Lemon juice: Try to use fresh if you can, you only need a teaspoon (less than a half lemon’s worth), but bottled works too.
• Shortening: This is optional and helpful f you plan to put the frosting in a piping bag and want it to keep its shape.

How to Make Naturally Pink Frosting

Blend the strawberries until smooth. I like the idea of using the whole berries in the frosting, and my high-powered blender pulverizes the heck out of strawberry seeds. But if your puree looks too seedy, pour it through a fine mesh strainer.

Cook the strawberry puree on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes. During this time, it will cook down a bit and thicken. You’ll use this puree in place of the milk that’s typically called for in buttercream frosting recipes.

To make the buttercream: In a large bowl, place 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, butter, lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons of the strawberry puree. Blend with an electric mixer for 30 seconds on low until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue beating, adding more powdered sugar or puree until you achieve a consistency thick enough for spreading or piping.

This recipe makes enough to either very generously frost a dozen cupcakes or spread more conservatively on 24 cupcakes.

Questions About This Strawberry Frosting

I’d prefer a dark pink shade. What other ways can you achieve a natural pink color?

This recipe does deliver a pale pink color. For a darker pink, try my Raspberry Buttercream. You can also buy beet powder–or make frosting with fresh beets. Or you can pulverize freeze dried strawberries or raspberries and blend that into your frosting.

What do I do with leftover strawberry puree?

Eat is with a spoon, toss it in a smoothie, or swirl it into plain yogurt.

Do you have recipes for different colors besides pink?

Yes! To make naturally green frosting, you can use fresh spinach. Get my easy recipe for Naturally Green frosting.