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 raspberry flavor from real berries that you’ll really love. Perfect for chocolate or vanilla cakes and cupcakes.
**This post was originally published July 26, 2015 and updated February 10, 2020 with updated photos and recipe tips**
Today I’m sharing this recipe for raspberry buttercream. The bright pink color is absolutely beautiful, and it’s the perfect frosting recipe for vanilla or chocolate cake.
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 store cakes. But creamy, fluffy, deliciously smooth buttercream frosting. And making frosting with real berries really takes the flavor to a whole new level.
It’s fluffy, creamy, smooth – and tastes like real berries. It’s thick enough to pipe onto cupcakes and tastes delicious on just about anything.
How to Make Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Now, this recipe works totally fine whether you make it with fresh or frozen berries.
To get started, first, the raspberries are processed in a blender or food processor. 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 (like sifting icing sugar) – but using a rubber spatula or metal spatula to push the puree through the sieve works great. I typically do about 1/2 at a time, then spoon out the seeds left in the sieve, and do the other half. 
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 that has a consistency like jam. The more you reduce the raspberry puree, the thicker and more pipe-able your frosting will be. Below you can see the puree before and after it’s boiled down.
Then you need to cool the puree fully. 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 🙁 🙁 🙁 You can speed this process up by popping the puree in the fridge or freezer – but just be careful of condensation forming. You may need to wipe down the sides of the bowl/measuring cup to avoid water droplets that form.
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.
Note: If you really want to save time, you could use pre-made, seedless raspberry preserves. Ideally, you’d want to find one without pectin and a high fruit concentration. I definitely prefer the flavor with the homemade raspberry puree.
This raspberry frosting is always delicious – whether you choose to pipe it onto cupcakes or frost a sheet cake. This recipe makes enough to frost:
- 12-18 cupcakes with a piping bag
- 24 cupcakes with a thin layer using a knife
- 9×13 inch sheet cake with some leftover frosting
- for a 3-layer round cake, double the recipe
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! It pipes beautifully on vanilla cupcakes, goes amazing with fudgy chocolate cupcakes, or just about any dessert you could think of.
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups raspberries* fresh or frozen
- 1 cup unsalted butter* softened to room temperature
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon whipping cream if needed
Instructions
- Process the raspberries in a food processor or blender until pureed.
- Place a metal sieve over a bowl and push the puree through a metal sieve to remove the seeds.
- Add the seedless raspberry puree to a small-medium sized saucepan over low-medium heat and 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.
- Remove from the heat, spoon the mixture into a glass bowl, and cool the mixture fully. You can speed up the process by placing the mixture in the fridge or freezer - just be careful of condensation forming and getting into the reduced puree.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy. Turn the mixer on low beat in 2 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar.
- Then beat in 2-3 tablespoons of the chilled, thickened raspberry puree & salt. (The puree must be fully cooled when you add it - otherwise, the frosting can separate).
- 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).
Notes
- If using frozen berries, thawing them in the fridge will make it easier to process in the food processor/blender. You will also need to boil the berries down for longer because there will be more liquid to boil out from the ice. It will likely take closer to 20-30 minutes.
- If using salted butter, remove the salt form the recipe. I personally prefer unsalted butter.
- Storage and Make-Ahead Tips: Store frosted cakes & cupcakes at room temperature for up to 8 hours, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature on the counter before enjoying. Frosting can be made ahead of time, placed in a container and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature on the counter, then beat with an electric mixer (if needed) until smooth before frosting cakes and cupcakes. Frosting can be frozen for up to 2 months, then thaw in the fridge.
- Makes enough for:
- 12-18 cupcakes with a piping bag
- 24 cupckes with a thin layer of frosting using a knife
- 9x13 inch sheet cake, with some leftover frosting
- for a 3-layer 8-inch layer cake, double the recipe
- Nutrition information is based off the frosting divided between 18 cupcakes (not including the cupcake).
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.