Strawberry Butter Free Frosting

Close up of swirls of butter free strawberry frosting.

5 from 4 reviews

Strawberry Butter Free Frosting

This small batch Strawberry Butter Free Frosting recipe is dairy free, made with coconut oil and coconut cream, and freeze dried strawberries that give the frosting a vibrant strawberry flavor. The butter free frosting is great as a filling or to simply frost cakes, cupcakes or bars.

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Cups (approx.)

Calories: 230kcal

Author: Erin Cernich

Equipment

Ingredients

5 tablespoons unsweetened canned coconut milk or cream, full fat
5 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups cups, plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3 tablespoons freeze dried strawberries, ground to powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Refrigerate the can of coconut milk at least overnight. This causes the liquid and coconut solids to separate and we are only using the solids from the can. You will have extra coconut milk solids and liquid which can be used in smoothies.
In a small saucepan, add the coconut milk solids, solid coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar. Heat over medium-low heat and stir the mix with a spatula until it has completely melted together - this should only take about 1 minute. Do not boil. The mixture will resemble a creamy soup.
5 tablespoons unsweetened canned coconut milk or cream, full fat, 5 tablespoons cold pressed refined coconut oil
Transfer the mix to a small mixing bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool to room temperature - about 10 to 15 minutes. You still want the mix to be be liquid when you add the powdered sugar. Note - You can also refrigerate it for a few minutes to speed up the cool down.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Add the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments at a time. Using a handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachments, add a 1/2 cup of the powered sugar to the coconut mixture. Start at low speed to incorporate the powdered sugar and avoid having it spray everywhere. Turn up the speed to high and beat for 1 minute. At this point, the frosting will look sticky and gooey.
2 cups cups, plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Continue to add a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar at a time - beating for at least 1 minute after each addition. With the final 1/2 cup, add the strawberry powder and salt, and beat the frosting for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until it is light and creamy. The frosting should be thick and creamy and resemble the store-bought frosting you buy in the small tubs at the grocery. If the frosting still looks loose, refrigerate it for about 10 minutes, then beat for a couple more minutes until it thickens. See Notes and the Blog Post for more tips and faq's that are helpful for making and troubleshooting the frosting.
3 tablespoons freeze dried strawberries, ground to powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
The frosting is ready to use right away or can be refrigerated. If refrigerating, the frosting will firm even more. Allow refrigerated frosting to come to room temperature and stir/mix to fluff before frosting.

Notes

Serving Size – This is a small batch frosting recipe that can be doubled. The recipe will yield enough frosting for at least 6 cupcakes and 1 single layer 6-inch cake.
Coconut Milk (Cream) – Use unsweetened canned coconut milk (or cream) that includes guar gum. The guar gum works as a stabilizer to help the frosting set. Do not use carton coconut milk.
Full-Fat Coconut Milk (Cream) – The light or low-fat variety will not yield frosting as creamy and thick. I have provided the brands I use in the blog post.
Freeze-Dried Strawberries - I recommend grinding the whole bag (1.25 ounces) of freeze dried strawberries for this recipe. You can add more strawberry powder to the frosting to suit your taste. You may have a little leftover that you can save for another recipe, or sprinkle over the top of frosted cupcakes.
Solid Coconut Cream – The coconut solids must be solid. Any extra water will impact the way the frosting turns out.
Special Note – It can be hit or miss the amount of coconut solids in are in the can. If your can does not or has too little, you may want to save that can for another recipe and try a new one.
Frosting Texture – The freshly made frosting is light and fluffy. Refrigerated frosting will become thicker. The frosting is similar in texture to the store-bought frosting in the small tubs.
Piping and Decorations – This is not traditional buttercream and will not behave as such. Intricate details, designs, or flowers, probably won’t hold their shape.
Storage – The frosting will be fine at room temperature for about 8 hours. Cover and refrigerate the frosting for 1 week, maybe longer. To use, bring to room temp and stir (or mix again), to loosen.

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