How to Make Berry Icing

Berry icing (also called berry frosting) is a tasty way to top a cake or cupcake with complementary flavors. Berry icing can be made with preserves or fresh/frozen berries.

Ingredients

Berry Preserves Icing

115g/1/2 stick butter, softened
3-4 tablespoons water or milk
1/3 cup berry preserves (jam)
4 cups icing/powdered sugar

Frozen Berry Icing

1/2 to 1 cup frozen berries, mixed
2 tablespoons caster/superfine sugar
1 1/2 cups icing/powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract/essence

Fresh Berry Purée Icing

100g/3.5 oz berries (raspberries/strawberries, etc.)
200g/7 oz icing/powdered sugar

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:
Making Berry Preserves Icing

1
Soften the butter if not already done. Stand at room temperature to soften.
2
Place the softened butter, liquid, preserves, and icing/powdered sugar into the bowl.
3
Beat the ingredients together with a fork. Mix until it's light and fluffy.
4
Spread across the cake or cupcake as required.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:
Making Frozen Berry Icing

1
Place the frozen berries into the saucepan. Add the sugar and a few tablespoons of water.
2
Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook to reduce the berries and sugar to a thickened sauce. This will take around a quarter of an hour.
3
Remove from the heat. Strain the liquid through a strainer into a bowl to remove seeds.
4
Allow to cool a little. Then add the icing/powdered sugar and the vanilla. Mix well until a smooth icing mixture forms.
5
Spread on the cake or cupcake as required.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:
Making Fresh Berry Purée Icing

1
Push the fresh berries through a sieve or strainer. Capture the liquid in a bowl, really pushing down hard on the berries with a wooden spoon or your fingers. This will remove the seeds.
2
Pour the icing/powdered sugar into a mixing bowl.
3
Gradually fold in the berry purée. Mix to combine well. If there are lumps, slow down the addition of the berry purée and work through the lumps before adding more purée.
4
Continue whisking until a smooth paste forms. It's now ready to spread on a cake or cupcake.

Community Q&A

Question

I already made a frosting but I want to add berries. How do I do that?

Community Answer

Fold them in whole, or add the juice for taste and add more solid ingredients.