Sweet blueberries and tangy cream cheese combine in this blueberry buttercream recipe for a frosting that tastes like summer. This blueberry-infused frosting is ideal for cupcakes or a layered blueberry cake and delivers a bright, natural blueberry flavor your friends and family will request again and again.
Equipment Checklist
This frosting is simple to make, but the right tools make it easier and neater. I recommend using a stand mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment to achieve the lightest texture. A handheld mixer and a medium or large mixing bowl will also work.
Stand mixer or electric mixer
Best for whipping butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy. A handheld mixer is a fine alternative.
Food processor
Useful for pureeing frozen or fresh blueberries into a smooth puree.
Piping bags
Handy if you plan to decorate cupcakes or pipe decorative borders.
Offset spatula
Ideal for spreading the frosting smoothly on layer cakes.
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Frosting
- Authentic blueberry flavor – This buttercream uses both real blueberry puree and natural blueberry emulsion for a vivid, true-to-fruit taste.
- Natural color – The pretty purple hue comes from the blueberry puree itself, so there’s no need for artificial colorants unless you prefer a bluer shade.
- Versatile topping – This frosting complements vanilla, lemon, chocolate, and many other cake flavors. It also pairs well with white chocolate or lemon curd and can be used as both a filling and a topping.
Ingredients
This recipe builds on a bakery-style vanilla buttercream, adjusted to include real blueberry flavor in two ways for depth and brightness.
You’ll need:
- Powdered sugar
- Instant Clearjel (optional, helps stabilize the frosting)
- Cream cheese
- Salted butter (room temperature)
- Pure vanilla extract
- Natural blueberry emulsion (adds concentrated blueberry aroma)
- Blueberry puree (made by blending thawed frozen or fresh blueberries)
Baker’s Tip
I tested this recipe using Olive Nation blueberry emulsion and found it gives a reliable, natural blueberry note. If you use a different brand, add by taste until you reach the flavor you like.
Variations
- Try different cakes – This frosting is lovely on lemon cake, vanilla cake, or chocolate cake and works well with many fillings.
- Strawberry version – Substitute strawberry puree and strawberry emulsion for a strawberry buttercream.
- Add citrus – A little lemon zest or lemon extract brightens the flavor and adds a refreshing contrast to the berry notes.
- Decorate with fresh berries – Top decorated cakes or cupcakes with fresh berries, a blueberry compote, or a sprinkle of powdered freeze-dried blueberries.
- Make it blue – Blueberries naturally produce a purple tone; to achieve a true blue color, add a few drops of blue gel food coloring until you reach the shade you want.
Storage
Store leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze the frosting in a sealed container. Thaw in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and whip briefly before using to refresh the texture.
Key Recipe Notes
- Use fully softened butter and cream cheese. Room-temperature dairy blends smoothly and keeps the frosting light and airy.
- Cool baked goods completely before frosting. Frosting that contains butter and cream cheese will soften or melt on warm cakes or cupcakes.
- Salted butter is recommended. The small amount of salt balances sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
This blueberry buttercream is thick, fluffy, and full of bright blueberry taste. It works as both a filling and a topping for many bakery-style cakes and cupcakes. If you enjoy this recipe, save it and try it on your next celebratory dessert.
Thanks for reading. ❤️
-The Amycakes Bakes team
📖 Recipe & Step-by-Step Instructions
Blueberry Buttercream Frosting
A 2x batch will frost and fill one 8″ three-layer cake or about 28 cupcakes generously.
3 cups, approximately
10 mins
Equipment
- Mixer or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- 4 ounces Cream Cheese
- 2 ½ sticks (10 ounces) Salted Butter (at room temperature)
- 715 grams (5 ½ cups) powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Instant Clearjel (optional; omitting may require more powdered sugar or less puree)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Natural Blueberry Emulsion
- ⅓ cup blueberry puree (made from thawed frozen or fresh blueberries)
Instructions
Make Blueberry Buttercream Frosting
- Thaw about 78 grams of frozen blueberries (or use fresh). Puree the berries with their juices in a food processor until smooth.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar and instant Clearjel in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and broken up.
- Add the room-temperature salted butter and beat until no lumps remain, scraping the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar and Clearjel mixture. Once incorporated, add the vanilla, blueberry emulsion, and blueberry puree. Scrape the bowl and then beat on high for 2–3 minutes to aerate and lighten the buttercream. The frosting will continue to thicken over the next 10 minutes. If you omitted Clearjel, you may need to add up to 1 more cup of powdered sugar for a firmer consistency.
- Serve the buttercream at room temperature. If not using within 24 hours, refrigerate; before use, allow the frosting to come to room temperature and whip briefly to restore the texture.
Notes
This recipe was tested with a natural blueberry emulsion for consistent flavor. If using a different brand of extract or emulsion, add it gradually and taste as you go to reach the desired intensity.
Amycakes Bakes
1290 kcal