Strawberry Italian Meringue Buttercream

So, I must be really into strawberries this month without even realizing it!  That's okay because this is the season for them so they must be screaming my name every time I walk into the grocery store.  But, enough about strawberries and more of why I am really here.  I am here to tell you about the BEST, homemade frosting you will ever taste in your entire life.

I am not a fan of the frostings made with powdered sugar that give off a "fake" taste.  Nor am I a fan of overly sweet frostings that taste like you need to get a toothbrush right away or else you will have a mouthful of cavities in two minutes.  The best thing about this Italian Meringue Buttercream is it is the complete opposite of all of that.  It is light, sweet, and tastes amazing!  I don't think I can ever make another frosting another way again and the best part is it's practically fail proof.  If you love the powdered sugar or overly sweet frostings, I still recommend you try this recipe. 

Now you must be wondering where the strawberry comes in.  I had some leftover strawberries from my strawberry pop tart recipes and decided to add in strawberry puree to the meringue buttercream.  But, trust me, this frosting is just as delicious without adding in any extra flavoring.

I used this frosting on plain sugar cookies.  This frosting is delicious on anything you would normally put frosting on though!  Take my word for it!

Strawberry Italian Meringue Buttercream
adapted from, Cake Love, Italian Meringue Buttercream


5 egg whites
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup water
4 sticks softened unsalted butter
1/2 cup pureed strawberries


Put egg whites into a standing mixer with the whip attachment.

In a saucepan, put the 1 cup sugar and water.  Stir.  Heat over medium-high heat and place a candy thermometer in the saucepan.  Wait until the mixture heats until 245 degrees.

Meanwhile, whip the egg whites until soft peaks start to form.  Then, add in 1/4 cup sugar while the mixer is still running.

When the sugar mixture reaches 245 degrees, pour into meringue with the mixer beating at slow speed. Then, increase the mixture speed to medium until meringue is cooled.

Cut the butter into tablespoon portions.  Add the butter into the meringue one piece at a time, beating well after each addition.  Once the butter is incorporated and the meringue is smooth, turn off the mixture and gently fold in the pureed strawberries.  You then have delicious buttercream frosting:)


*If, after the butter is added, the mixture looks curdled just continue mixing until smooth.

**Leftover meringue refrigerates and freezers well!


***This meringue recipe can be cut in half and still comes out nicely!  Just make sure to use 3 eggs when cutting in half!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pop Tarts

Valentine's Day.  The sweetest day of the year!  Some people consider this just to be another commercial holiday for all the stores to make some money.  But I consider it to be a time when we should stop everything we are doing, for just a few moments, and really show all the people we love just HOW much we love them.  Sure, we should be doing this everyday but, let's be realistic.  We all get caught up in the moment with work, school, or our own lives.  Valentine's day doesn't have to be about the money, it could just be a simple phone call to your mom who hasn't heard from you in awhile to tell her that you love her.  I, personally, think Valentine's Day is one of the best days of the year.  For me, it's the perfect time to show some love with some delicious, homemade treats and what more could anyone ask for?

I decided this year, I wanted to bake something completely different then from past years.  So, thanks to People Magazine and one of my good friends, this idea came right to me.  Of course, these "pop tarts" or "heart tarts" are changed up than what the original recipe was, but give both a shot and pass them to all your loved ones.  This Valentine's Day make it about everyone who means something to you, not just your significant other.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pop Tarts
Makes 6-7 Tarts
slightly adapted from Catherine McCord's Heart Tarts

1 store bought pie crust or homemade pie crust
Strawberry Filling:
about 5-6 large strawberries
1/4 cup cream cheese
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of honey

 Strawberry Glaze with Chocolate Drizzle:
1 large strawberry
1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar (how much ever is needed)
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Unroll pie crust and using a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 or 14 hearts. (You may need to roll out the "scrap" dough to get more hearts)

Whisk softened cream cheese and then mash in whole strawberries.  Mix in powdered sugar and honey.  Top half of the hearts with about a teaspoon to two teaspoons of cream cheese mixture.  Leave a border around the hearts and with your finger brush the edges with water.  Then take the remaining hearts, with no filling, and cover the hearts with the filling.

Taking a fork, press all around the edges of each of the hearts to seal them.  Then, prick the tops with a toothpick 3 times each.  Bake for 20 minutes and let cool completely.

For the Glaze:

In a bowl, microwave the strawberry for 30 seconds.  Mash up the strawberry.  Then add in powdered sugar and mix until a glaze forms.  Spread onto cooled tarts with a spoon.

In a separate bowl, microwave chocolate chips until just melted.  Then drizzle all over the glaze.

** If you do not have a heart shaped cookie cutter, you can use a circle cookie cutter or cut the pie dough into even rectangles to create a real "pop tart" look!