Name: Strawberry Puree
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 pound strawberries (fresh or frozen); 1/4 cup water; 2 TBSP sugar (*not necessarily needed, taste AFTER cooking and add as needed--see notes!); 1 tsp lemon juice

When you're looking for a natural alternative to a pink food color for a cake or cupcakes, check out this easy to make Strawberry Puree.

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When you’re looking for an alternative to a pink food color for a cake or cupcakes, check out Strawberry Puree. It’s made from pure strawberries and it makes a lovely pink cake color.

It’s perfect for any dessert that needs a little hint color and naturally a mild strawberry flavor. Use it as a sauce or to make foods pink.

But don’t stop there, you could use this puree in a lot of different ways! If you only have raspberries well try my easy Raspberry Sauce recipe, it will not disappoint!

These purees are so nice to make because you get pure berry flavor without a lot of added sugar!

Can I use Frozen Strawberries to Make Strawberry Puree?

YES! You can even use frozen strawberries in this recipe. I would recommend it too, save those gorgeous fresh strawberries for snack or lunches! But if you have fresh berries and need a puree, use them!

I like to lean heavily on frozen berries just because we live in Alaska and frozen berries are a freezer pantry staple. If you get fresh berries here, you’re paying enough, you should eat them fresh. All my humble opinion I know, do what you will!

What can I use Strawberry Puree for?

You can use this strawberry sauce for a yogurt or ice cream topping, on top of The BEST Instant Pot Cheesecake, or in margaritas or daiquiris.

I’ve used it for part of the liquid in cupcakes or cakes. Try that out first before attempting for company or parties, it works differently in different recipes!

Use it to decorate dessert plates too, that always looks so beautiful! It’s perfect for babies although it could be kind of messy. Or eat it with a spoon when no one is looking. That last one is my favorite form of enjoying treats!

How to Make Strawberry Puree

You make this sauce from strawberries and a little water, and that’s it. If your berries are not the sweetest you may add a little sugar to the finished product.

This process is SO easy I hesitated even to write it up, but I realized that some people might be making it harder on themselves than they need to!

Don’t make it hard, use my simple method and keep it simple. You’ll thank me for it!

If you need to add sugar READ THIS!

Do not add sugar during the cooking process, you may inadvertently make a more jammy substance than just a puree. That’s NOT what you’re going for with a puree. You want something you can drizzle and dab, not glop

The old fashioned method for making jam was to just add sugar, and possibly water, to fruit and boil it. The fruit will thicken somewhat with its natural pectin and make jam. Handy if you’re making jam, not if you’re making a sauce.

Now strawberries have a naturally LOW amount of pectin. The danger of a strawberry jam coming out of this recipe is very small. But it will thicken up weirdly.

SO if your berries are not the sweetest, cook them down according to the recipe, taste it, and then add sugar as necessary. Warming just enough to incorporate the sugar BUT not make jam.

Looking for Another Great Strawberry Recipe?

Try these Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries! They’re dipped in chocolate and way too delicious!

Strawberry Puree

4 from 1 vote

When you’re looking for a natural alternative to a pink food color for a cake or cupcakes, check out this easy to make Strawberry Puree.

Course: Flavor and Spice

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 35

Servings: servings

Calories: 30kcal

Author: Laura

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Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound strawberries fresh or frozen
1/4 cup water
2 TBSP sugar *not necessarily needed, taste AFTER cooking and add as needed–see notes!
1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

wash and hull strawberries if needed
put them in the bowl of a food processor and puree them
scrape into a small saucepan, add water
cook over low to medium heat for 30 mintues, stirring occasionally
cook and stir until reduced by half, you should have just over 1/2 cup of puree once it is completley reduced
cool throroughly before using in cake recipes

Notes

you may need to reduce the amount of liquid in your recipe if using more than a 1/4 cup of puree, be sure to experiment before attempting to bake a cake to impress anyone
Do not add sugar during the cooking process, you may inadvertently make a more jammy substance than just a puree. That’s NOT what you’re going for with a puree. You want something you can drizzle and dab, not glop

Nutrition