Ingredients (frosts ~12 cupcakes)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and coarsely chopped
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 sticks butter, at room temperature, cut into cubes
Strawberry Puree Reduction
Start by blending or food processing 1 cup strawberries into a puree.
Put the strawberry puree into a small pot/saucepan to reduce over medium heat for roughly 8-10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
You’re aiming to reduce it by half to thicken it down to around 1/3 cup.
When you reduce the fruit, you basically concentrate the flavor and lose all excess water (too much water will cause your frosting to be too runny).
Allow the puree mixture to cool completely before adding it to your cream cheese buttercream.
Swiss Meringue
You will make the meringue base by whisking 3 large egg whites with 1 cup sugar in a heat-proof bowl, over a pot of simmering water, until the sugar is completely dissolved and at a warm temperature, around (5-7 mins.)
When the mixture feels smooth, not grainy when you rub it between your fingers, it should be ready to use.
Whipping the Meringue
Once your mixture has been heated enough, pour it into your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whip on low speed for about 30 seconds, then increase the speed to medium-high.
Whip for about 8-10 minutes or until stiff peaks form, and the meringue has become light and fluffy and glossy.
When your meringue has finished whipping, the mixing bowl should feel cool.
Adding the Butter
Change from the whisk attachment to the paddle attachment.
Mix on medium-low speed as you add your butter into the bowl in small portions (only add 2-3 tablespoons at a time) allowing each addition to incorporate before adding more.
There will probably be a time that the mixture seems curdled or broken — that’s completely normal, and will come together with continued mixing.
Once all the butter has been added, turn the mixer to low speed and continue mixing for an additional 2 minutes to smooth out the frosting.
Incorporating the Strawberry Puree
Add cooled strawberry reduction and continue mixing at medium speed for about 1-2 minutes until fully mixed in; use a spatula once finished mixing to push out air bubbles.
Finished frosting should be light pink in colour and simply hold a pipeable shape.
If the frosting feels too soft, refrigerate for approximately 15-20 minutes to allow it to firm up before use.
Strawberry Frosting for Cupcakes
Ingredients
Ingredients (frosts ~12 cupcakes)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries rinsed, hulled, and coarsely chopped
- 3 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 sticks butter at room temperature, cut into cubes
Instructions
- Puree 1 cup strawberries in a blender until smooth.
- Pour puree into a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half to about 1/3 cup.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- Combine 3 egg whites and 1 cup sugar in a heatproof bowl over simmering water.
- Whisk continuously for 5-7 minutes until sugar dissolves completely and mixture feels smooth.
- Transfer to stand mixer with whisk attachment.
- Beat on low for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high for 8-10 minutes until stiff peaks form and mixture is fluffy and glossy.
- Switch to paddle attachment.
- Add butter a few cubes at a time on medium-low speed, letting each addition incorporate before adding more.
- Once all butter is added, mix on low for 2 minutes until smooth.
- Add cooled strawberry reduction and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until fully combined.
- Stir with spatula to smooth out air pockets.
- Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes if frosting seems too soft before piping.
