I am making a bridal shower cake for this saturday…just basic as I’m a beginner….I’ve made a about four fondant cakes prior. 
anyway, I would like to make strawberry buttercream, the cake is a yellow cake.  My question is can I use fresh strawberries to make the buttercream? instead of frozen or preserves? any help I would appreciate! thanks ladies.

i only use fresh strawberries. i puree them in the food processor then taste to see if any sugar is needed ( a tiny bit) then add to butter cream . the color is a little odd, more on the orange side,  so i also add a touch of pink food color. i’ve been told it tastes like fresh strawberry icecream.

another option would be to take your cake layer, add a generous layer of frosting and then lay slices of fresh strawberries, put on the next layer and so on…

this will give a beautiful cross section when cut. the larger strawberry pieces will look very gourmet to the eaters.

frost with plain mousseline butter cream and top with more fresh strawberries. we call it our strawberries and cream cake!

jen

thank you jen!  this sounds excellent!  i will fill you in when i finish.  julie

Julie, if you have the Cake Bible, Rose has an excellent recipe for Strawberry bc in it. Jen’s idea sounds wonderful too.

I’ve done it two ways - I’ve made strawberry mousseline buttercream using Rose’s strawberry puree recipe (can also use Rose’s strawberry conserve recipe for a chunkier buttercream).  And I’ve filled a cake with macerated strawberries within a layer of vanilla buttercream (dice strawberries, sprinkled with sugar, allowed to sit for like 20 minutes, and then drained well).  Both versions are utterly delicious.

thanks so much…made the buttercream but seems like i need more of a strawberry flavor(it barely taste like strawberries), i think i’m going to try and buy strawberry extract—do they sell this @ big chain grocers?  if i don’t find it-what steps should i take next?  julie

julietrz - 17 July 2008 02:46 PM

thanks so much…made the buttercream but seems like i need more of a strawberry flavor(it barely taste like strawberries), i think i’m going to try and buy strawberry extract—do they sell this @ big chain grocers?  if i don’t find it-what steps should i take next?  julie

Are you making one of Rose’s recipes?

no, just followed jen’s recipe above, it taste good but think it needs a stronger strawberry taste.

julietrz - 17 July 2008 03:03 PM

no, just followed jen’s recipe above, it taste good but think it needs a stronger strawberry taste.

That’s why I suggested Rose’s Puree (or conserve)... the cooking technique greatly intensifies the fruit, resulting in wonderfully flavored buttercream.  Unless you find some all natural strawberry essence (like the one sold at la Cusine), I think any strawberry flavoring you find will be artificially flavored.  You might try those flavored oils sold in drug stores that are used for candy making.  Lorann is a brand I’ve seen for sale.

some my other message didn’t post…..I’m gonna just go with the strawberry flavoring at this point….I don’t own the cake bible book yet, just came upon this site this morning!  so I definately will add it to my list of must gets…anyway, If I can’t find the strawberry extract I will go with a lemon buttercream…what a day!  thanks for your advice. julie

I’m sure you’ll be very pleased with TCB.  Until then, good luck with your cake!

I detest using fresh strawberries because they lack flavor.  Conserve intensifies the flavor, and conserve mixed with some fresh fruit would, too.  The only strawberry flavoring I would use is from La Cuisine.  Rose’s strawberry mousseline is fantastic (love it more than plain whipped cream strawberry shortcake).

You can also buy frozen strawberry puree, many good brands out there, but most best known by commercial bakeries.

In case you haven’t seen these pics, here are some recent “super” strawberry shortcakes I’ve done.  Note the naturally pink strawberry filling.  It is Rose’s cloud cream with extra fresh strawberries.

Hector - you must not be able to get good strawberries in Hawaii.  This time of year we can get the most delicious fresh strawberries.

we have Maui Kula strawberries and in season now.  So expensive and acceptably tasty.  So beautiful, bright red and not huge like on steroids.  BUT nothing like wild fragole from Italia!

finished cake actually tastes very good, added the flavoring..also bought tcb today, can’t wait!  thanks everyone!