Okay so I plan to bake a cake for my daughter's 5th birthday party. Up until now I have been using a stablized whipped cream recipe for my cake frosting and filling (BTW.....I am nowhere near a professional cake baker). I wantedt to use buttercream this time because I plan on covering the cake with fondant. I also wanted to use fresh strawberries as part of the filling. Here's the question...should I stick with regular vanilla BC and fresh strawberries or do you think it would be strawberry overload if I use strawberry BC and fresh strawberries? Has anyone done either or? If so which taste better? Thanks for your help!

APersonally, I always add strawberries to my strawberry buttercream. Puree it and add it in to the mix. It gives it a freshness that you just can't get from jam. I don't think it would be overload at all. Can I ask what recipe you use for your whipped cream? I gave up on it because I couldn't find one that didn't end up in a puddle by the time it was all said and done. Forget about any kind of piping detail! haha

ABct, maybe a higher fat content of the cream will help you out.

A

Is there something with a higher fat content than heavy cream?

My strawberry buttercream is always a hit!  I cook down my strawberries in sugar for about an hour, puree and  let it cool and add it to my buttercream.  It's sooooo good!  The fact that you cook them down in sugar doesn't make the buttercream any sweeter either.

AHeavy cream is sold in 32%, 36% and 40% fat to my knowledge. There are probably different percentages as well. But the higher the percentage the more stable.

AI will have to look next time then. I never saw any percentages on the ones I bought. I have seen heavy and regular whipping cream but not percents. Not to say they don't have them, just never seen it.

AHmmm. I'm not sure if they sre marked at grocery stores. Just looked it up the brand organic valley has 40% fat

A

I found the whipped cream frosting recipe here.... http://thebakerybox.blogspot.com/2011/07/stiff-whipped-cream-frosting.html?m=1 I only used it as a frosting and/or filling. Ive never tried to pipe designs with it. Although it maybe thick enough.

AThabks for the help!

A

Thank you!

AI used fresh strawberry puree in my buttercream, but my biggest problem is that it's way too soft to pipe. I tried adding more powdered sugar but it wouldn't thicken , just made it sweeter!!! I added a couple of tsps of meringue powder ( read somewhere this would work as a thickener). This hasn't worked either!!! :-(

Someone Please HELP me figure this out!!! This has been driving me Crazy!!! :-x

I use the strawberry puree in place of the cream and it keeps it from being too soft.  For those of you who cook your strawberries first, what is the advantage?

A

I to used the puree in place of milk or cream, however to get the "full strawberry" extra puree needed to be added. Resulting in a bc way TOO soft to pipe!! :( :-(

I need to find a solution to thicken this batch as I DO NOT want to throw $$$$$ AWAY!!!+++

A[quote name="bubs1stbirthday" url="/t/761083/fresh-strawberries-and-buttercream/15#post_7515056"]

Depending on how much piping you need to do could you fill and ice with it as it is and then thicken a small amount to pipe with? The flavour wont be as obvious but if you only have a small bit to pipe no one will really notice that the two batches are different strengths in the flavours. [/quote

Thank you for the suggestion. It's really appreciated!

By the way, I like the statement at the end of your message. I have the same special ingredient, hence my business name: MadeWithLove. :)

I made some strawberry buttercream with cream cheese, that might make it thick enough.  It was delicious, I think strawberry is my favorite!

A

Thank You. I'll have to give that a try.:)