This raspberry buttercream frosting is creamy and fluffy with a delicious natural raspberry flavor. It can be made with fresh berries when they’re in season, or frozen raspberries. The pink color looks beautiful, but it’s the fresh raspberry flavor that you’ll really love.
Today I’m sharing this recipe for raspberry buttercream. The bright pink color is absolutely beautiful, and it’s the perfect frosting recipe for cakes and cupcakes.
Now, I absolutely love buttercream frosting. I’m a bit of a buttercream addict. A frosting aficionado if you will.
Not that grossly sweet, slightly oily stuff you find on grocery story cakes. But creamy, fluffy, deliciously smooth buttercream frosting.
And if you’re a person that mainly eats cake for the frosting too – then let’s be best friends. Seriously, we’ve got a lot of delicious baking & eating ahead of us.
So today, we’re making this delicious raspberry buttercream frosting. Everyone seemed to love this Strawberry Buttercream Frosting – so I figured it was time to make a raspberry version just in time for summer and all the fresh berries coming into season. 
It’s fluffy, creamy, smooth – and it has the most delicious natural raspberry flavor and bright pink color. I love it on vanilla cake, chocolate cake, or really just about anything. You’re going to die a happy frosting induced death.
How to Make Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Now, for this recipe – it works totally fine whether you make raspberry frosting with fresh berries or raspberry frosting with frozen berries.
To get started, first the raspberries are processed in a blender or food processor. Here’s the raspberry puree. You’ll likely end up with about 2/3 to 1 cup, depending on if you use fresh or frozen berries.
Then we push it through a metal sieve to remove the seeds. This process is a little annoying (think sifting icing sugar) – but using a rubber spatula to push it through works just great.
Then we gently boil the raspberry puree for a good 10-20 minutes to remove excess water. When it’s done, you should end up with about 3-4 tablespoons of thick raspberry sauce. The more you reduce the raspberry puree, the thicker and more pipe-able your frosting will be.
Then the reduced puree gets chilled in the fridge or freezer. I cannot stress enough the importance of the puree being cold when it’s added to the butter to make your frosting. If it’s still even the tiniest bit warm, the whole frosting will separate 🙁 🙁 🙁
After we’ve made the raspberry puree and reduced it to a thick jam-like consistency, making the frosting is like your typical buttercream.
- Beat the butter until fluffy.
- Mix in the sifted powdered sugar.
- Then add in the cooled raspberry puree.
- And finally beat in the rest of the powdered sugar and a little whipping cream if needed.
This raspberry frosting is always delicious – whether you choose to pipe it onto cupcakes or frost a thin layer on sheet cake. It’s creamy, dreamy & delicious. And the raspberry flavor makes it way more special than just coloring the frosting with food coloring.
Seriously, if you want to take your cake or cupcakes to the next level – then this raspberry buttercream frosting is for you!
Not sure what to make with this raspberry frosting? Here’s some of my favorites:
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raspberries , fresh or frozen
- 1 cup unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- 3 1/2 - 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt , to taaste
Instructions
- Process the raspberries in a food processor or blender until a puree is formed.
- Push the puree through a metal sieve to remove the seeds.
- In a small-medium sized saucepan gently boil the mixture while stirring occasionally.
- Allow to boil for 10-20 minutes, or until it is about 1/4 to 1/3 of the original volume. It should be thick like jam. Place in the fridge or freezer to chill fully.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Turn the mixer on low beat in 2 cups of the powdered sugar.
- Then beat in 2-3 tablespoons of the chilled, thickened raspberry puree & salt. (It must be cold when you add it).
- Beat in the rest of the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until you get the desired sweetness level. Finally, beat in the whipping cream (if needed) and beat the frosting on medium-high speed for an additional 30 seconds.
Give me this entire bowl and an oversized spoon and I’d be one happy gal. Seriously, this looks AMAZING! Saving and putting on everything!
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who makes frosting without the cake…. 😉
Oh. My. Goodness. I love buttercream frosting too and love raspberries. This is perfect!
Fiona,
The cupcake was really delicious. I enjoyed it very much. The raspberry frosting tasted like it was packed full of fresh fruit. It was so good. The hint of lime in the cake paired really nicely too. Also thanks Jay for saving me one of the last pieces left in the office.
This turned out perfectly! I put it down on chocolate cupcakes and they were a huge hit
How long will the frosting stay “fresh”? No separating or getting watery. I’m having two different parties. So I’d make the frosting Tuesday night and need it to last until Sunday. Thanks!
I wouldn’t recommend keeping it this long. Since the frosting is using real berries it’s a little more delicate than traditional buttercream.