Raspberry Buttercream Frosting (Fresh or Frozen Raspberries)

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This best ever raspberry buttercream recipe uses real raspberries for that punchy zingy raspberry flavour. Perfect for all the raspberry lovers out there!

homemade raspberry buttercream piped onto a cupcake with fresh raspberries around it

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✏️ Recipe creation
🥘 Ingredients
♻️ Substitutions / Variations
📖 Method
💭 Top tips
❔ Recipe FAQs
🧁 Frosting uses
🍪 Other goodies
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

✏️ Recipe creation

I’m a huge fan of raspberries, and I’m a little obsessed with this homemade raspberry buttercream. It’s got that fresh and tangy flavour with a hint of lemon that ups the zingy taste!

Using real raspberries in your buttercream is a bit more faff than using jam, jelly or preserves from the grocery store, but the homemade raspberry reduction gives it an unbeatable flavour.

It’s the perfect recipe for adding a fresh summer twist to your cakes and bakes, as well as topping desserts for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, bridal showers and girl baby showers.

This creamy raspberry frosting is an American-style buttercream, made from scratch.

It also has a bright natural pink colour, making it easy to turn any treat into a cute pink dessert! If you're looking for a pink frosting without the flavour, check out this best ever pink buttercream recipe!

🥘 Ingredients

This raspberry frosting recipe calls for the following ingredients:

Raspberries: fresh or frozen.
Lemon juice: fresh lemon juice gives best results.
Unsalted butter: room temperature for a softened butter that’s easier to beat.
Powdered icing sugar: sieve your confectioners’ sugar for a smooth frosting.
Salt (optional)

See the recipe card for quantities.

Top tip: For accuracy, it’s best to weigh your ingredients rather than using cups.

♻️ Substitutions / Variations

Ingredient substitutions

You can also use either fresh or frozen raspberries! I prefer using fresh fruit as they're easier to work with, but both will give you great raspberry frosting. I love using seasonal ingredients and this recipe is great for using up leftover raspberries.

I usually use fresh red raspberries for this delicious recipe, but you can also use black raspberries.

It’s best to use fresh lemon juice in this recipe, but bottled lemon juice will also work if you don’t have a lemon. You can also add some lemon zest for some extra flavour!

Flavour options

I love this delicious raspberry frosting as it is, but you can add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract to your frosting for a sweet vanilla twist on your icing.

This raspberry buttercream frosting recipe lends really well to the addition of alcohol.

Add a boozy twist to your frosting with 1 tablespoon of Chambord, Baileys, limoncello or any spirit/liqueur of your choice. Do this as the last step.

Frosting options

You can also swap half of the butter for cream cheese to make a raspberry cream cheese frosting instead.

You can make your frosting creamier by adding 1 tablespoon of heavy cream or sour cream.

Vegan option

To make vegan raspberry frosting, you can swap the butter for a firm dairy-free butter (baking block). You must use the solid kind rather than a liquid or soft variety.

If you’re baking for vegans, be sure to then use your vegan raspberry frosting on a vegan cupcake, cake or cookie!

Gluten-free

This is a gluten-free raspberry buttercream recipe, but always check your ingredients for cross-contamination if you're unsure.

homemade raspberry buttercream in a mixing bowl with fresh raspberries around it

📖 Method

Step 1: Puree raspberries, lemon juice and water in a blender or food processor then press it through a sieve into a small-medium saucepan.

Step 2: Discard the pulp and heat the sieved juice on a low-medium heat for 10-15mins, until reduced to a thick liquid.

Raspberry puree before and after heating to raspberry reduction

Step 3: Allow the reduction to cool while you beat the butter, using a hand mixer in a large bowl or a stand mixer, for several minutes until pale and fluffy.

Step 4: Next, sieve in half of your powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Repeat with the other half of your powdered sugar.

Step 5: Beat in the raspberry reduction, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired flavour and consistency, and salt (if using), then enjoy!

💭 Top tips

If using frozen raspberries, it's easier if you thaw them or microwave them (30-45secs) first before you puree them. That way, you can push more fruit puree through the sieve.
For the most intense raspberry flavor, push as much raspberry puree through your sieve as you can.
For creamy frosting, beat your butter until it’s pale, light and fluffy before adding your other ingredients. This could take several minutes with an electric mixer and longer by hand.
For a strong pink color, add pink or red food coloring to your raspberry buttercream. Use a gel colouring to prevent adding too much liquid. The photos shown here are the natural colour from the fresh raspberries.

❔ Recipe FAQs

How long does homemade raspberry buttercream last?

Your raspberry buttercream should last for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You may need to bring it to room temperature and re-beat it before use.

Can you freeze raspberry buttercream?

Yes! You can freeze your buttercream stored in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost and re-beat before use.

Can you make raspberry frosting ahead of time?

Yes, you can make your raspberry frosting ahead of time and either keep it in the fridge (up to 4 days) or freeze it (up to 3 months) until you’re ready to use it.

How do you get rid of air bubbles in frosting?

To get rid of air bubbles in your frosting, beat it on a low speed using a paddle attachment. The whisk attachment can sometimes add too much air. Alternatively, you can stir it with a spatula or wooden spoon by hand for a few minutes.

How can I thicken raspberry frosting?

If your frosting is too thin, you can try chilling it in the fridge for 15-20mins before use. Alternatively, you can beat in a few more tablespoons of butter to thicken it.

How can I thin raspberry frosting?

If your raspberry frosting is too thick to pipe, then you can add more raspberry reduction, milk or heavy cream (½ tablespoon at a time) to thin the frosting until you get the desired consistency.

homemade raspberry buttercream piped onto a cupcake with fresh raspberries

🧁 Frosting uses

You can use this raspberry icing to frost your cupcakes, cakes, cookies, macarons, blondies, brownies and more!

Frost your baked goods with this homemade raspberry buttercream by spreading a generous amount using an offset spatula or knife.

Alternatively, you can pipe your buttercream using a piping bag and a piping nozzle of your choice.

I also love this frosting as a cake filling, between your cake layers for a real raspberry flavour in your layer cakes.

Add it to your favourite cupcake recipes, like these matcha cupcakes, funfetti cupcakes or Bailey’s cupcakes.

I use this recipe on vanilla cupcakes for the delicious raspberry vanilla cupcakes.

You can make lemon raspberry cupcakes by adding extra ½ tablespoon lemon juice to your frosting and sprinkling lemon zest on the top of cupcakes!

Amounts

This recipe makes enough to frost 10-12 cupcakes (regular size). Make sure you’re using cool cupcakes not ones fresh from the oven.

To frost a cake fully (outside coating and between layers), you’ll need to double this recipe (scale up by x2) for a 3-layer round 6-inch cake.

For a 3-layer round 8-inch cake, triple this recipe (i.e. scale up by x3).

Depending on how sweet you like your traybakes, you’ll only need half the amount of this frosting recipe for 8-inch square traybake cakes or brownies. Spread a thick layer across your cooled traybake before cutting it into slices.