Cranberry Buttercream Frosting

Cranberry buttercream frosting is perfect for the holiday season. The buttercream is sweet, tart, and has amazing cranberry flavor. Pair this frosting with white cake, orange cake, or cranberry cake or cupcakes for a delicious holiday treat!

Ingredients for Cranberry Buttercream Frosting

• Cranberries – Use fresh cranberries for the best cranberry flavor.
• Water – To help the cranberries break down to create a thick cranberry sauce.
• Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
• Powdered sugar – Confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar.
• Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract rounds out the flavor of the frosting.
• Salt – A bit of salt contrasts the sweetness of the frosting.
• Heavy cream – Heavy cream helps the frosting become smooth and creamy.

How to Make Cranberry Buttercream Frosting

1. Make the cranberry reduction: Cook the cranberries and water over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and break down and the juices thicken. Use an immersion blender to puree the cranberries until it is smooth. Run through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds. Cool to room temperature.
2. Whip the butter: Whip the room temperature butter for 5 minutes until it is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
3. Add the ingredients: Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until well combined. Add the cranberry reduction, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until the ingredients are incorporated. While mixing on low speed, drizzle in the heavy cream.
4. Whip the frosting: Whip the buttercream on medium speed for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Mix the buttercream on low speed for several minutes to remove any air bubbles.

Other Cranberry Recipes You Will Love

• Cranberry orange cupcakes
• Cranberry curd
• Orange cranberry shortbread cookies
• Cranberry orange linzer cookies
• Cranberry orange cake

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Cranberry Buttercream Frosting

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Yield: 5 cups

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Cranberry buttercream frosting is perfect for the holiday season. The buttercream is sweet, tart, and has amazing cranberry flavor. Pair this frosting with white cake, orange cake, or cranberry cake or cupcakes for a delicious holiday treat!

Equipment

• Stand mixer or electric hand mixer

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 6 oz (170 g) fresh cranberries
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) water
• ▢ 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 5 cups (600 g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream

Instructions

• First, make the cranberry reduction. Add the cranberries and water to a small saucepan. Simmer the cranberries over medium-low heat, covered, and stir occasionally. Continue to cook until the cranberries pop and breakdown. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Use an immersion blender or transfer the cranberry mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth. The mixture will be very hot, so be careful. Run the sauce through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature butter for about 5 minutes until it is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
• Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar and continue to mix on low until fully incorporated.
• Add the cooled cranberry reduction, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
• Increase the speed on the mixer to medium and whip the buttercream for about 5 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. (Note: The frosting might appear to break or curdle – this is normal – just keep whipping.) Turn the mixer to low speed and mix the buttercream for several minutes to remove any air bubbles.

Notes

• Store the buttercream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for 3 months. To use, bring the buttercream to room temperature and rewhip until it is smooth and creamy.

Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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About Courtney

Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author

Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.

Meet Courtney