Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8x8 inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper and lightly greasing it. While the oven heats, finely grind the dried strawberries into a powder using a food processor or blender—this takes just a minute and ensures even distribution throughout the frosting. Measure out all remaining ingredients and have them ready, ensuring your eggs and butter are at room temperature for proper emulsification.

Combine the sugar, freshly zested lemon zest, and salt in a mixing bowl, pressing gently with a spoon to release the essential oils from the zest—this creates an incredibly fragrant base. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Melt the butter together with the lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat, then pour the warm mixture over the sugar mixture. I like to use Kerrygold butter here because its richness really shines through in these bars. Stir for about 30 seconds until the sugar begins to dissolve and the mixture becomes glossy.

Add the room-temperature eggs to the sugar-butter mixture and stir until fully incorporated, about 1 minute—the mixture should look pale and slightly fluffy as the eggs emulsify with the butter. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and the remaining salt (from the frosting ingredient list, as it's a small amount that won't hurt the bars). Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be smooth but not dense.

Spread the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The edges should be lightly golden but the center should still be slightly soft—these bars will continue to cook slightly as they cool. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan for at least 1 hour before frosting.

In a bowl, combine the softened butter with the finely ground strawberry powder from Step 1 and beat together until the mixture is evenly colored and smooth. Sift in the powdered sugar to remove any lumps, then add the vanilla extract and milk, one teaspoon at a time, beating until the frosting becomes light and fluffy—about 2-3 minutes total. The frosting should have a spreadable consistency; if it's too thick, add a few more drops of milk. Finish by stirring in the lemon juice, which brightens the frosting and ties it back to the lemon bars.

Once the cooled bars from Step 4 are completely cool, spread or pipe the frosting evenly over the top. I find that using an offset spatula gives the most professional-looking finish and keeps the frosting layer even. Cut into squares and serve immediately, or let the frosting set slightly at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for cleaner edges.