Strawberry Puree for Flavoring Cakes, Cupcakes and Buttercream
This Strawberry Puree is super easy to make and so convenient. Made with just fresh strawberries, no sugar added! It concentrates the strawberry flavor within a little amount of liquid, which makes it perfect to be added to batters, such as cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, and more. I love to use it to make Homemade Eggless Strawberry Bundt Cake and my Best No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake. It also adds a lovely pink color to your desserts! Important: This recipe is NOT meant to be used as a sauce to top desserts or ice cream. If you want a strawberry topping sauce, please use my Easy Strawberry Sauce Recipe. PRO TIP: Since the reduced strawberry puree needs to completely cool down, I suggest getting started the day before. Just let the reduced strawberry puree sit in the refrigerator overnight and use it the following day. To make strawberry puree, you will need only one ingredient: STRAWBERRIES! Check out my post about How to Pick & Store Fresh Strawberries.
Fresh Or Frozen Strawberries for Strawberry Puree?
You can use both! If strawberries are in season, I recommend using fresh strawberries; if not, frozen will work fine, but the puree will take longer to reduce. If using frozen, allow defrosting before using. 1 – Add the strawberries to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. 2 – Add the strawberry puree to a saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken and bubble, about 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the strawberry mixture to simmer for 15 -20 minutes until reduced to half. 3 – Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, and set aside to cool.
How To Use the Strawberry Puree?
This strawberry puree is perfect for flavoring cake or cupcake batter. I use it to make Homemade Eggless Strawberry Bundt Cake and my Best No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake. You can also use it to make strawberry buttercream or strawberry glaze.
Freeze
You can freeze leftover puree and defrost it as you need it. To freeze, let the puree cold completely, then place it in an airtight container or freezing plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen strawberry puree, simply thaw in the refrigerator or heat in the microwave for 20-40 seconds, stirring after 10 seconds. You can also pour the puree into ice-cube trays and freeze it until solid. Freezing in ice cube trays is super convenient because it allows you to defrost small amounts. Flexible ice cube trays work best. Once the cubes are fully frozen, quickly pop them all out and place them into a freezer bag or container and return them to the freezer. IMPORTANT: This recipe is NOT meant to be used as a sauce to top desserts or ice cream. If you want a strawberry topping sauce, please use Easy Strawberry Sauce Recipe.
Originally posted in June 2020, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in April 2022.
