Calling all lemon dessert lovers! This easy Lemon Buttercream Frosting is impossible to resist. Pipe it onto cupcakes, spread it on a cake–or just eat it with a spoon. It’s that good!
Warmer weather means more lemon recipes! In my book, lemon desserts are a year-round indulgence. Lemon Bars, anyone?
Why this Recipe Works
This is the ONLY lemon frosting recipe you’ll ever need! We love the fluffy consistency and zing of citrus in every bite.
- Made with real lemon juice and zest.
- Four simple ingredients.
- The perfect balance of tart and sweet.
- A versatile frosting for lemon cake, lemon cupcakes, cookies and all your favorite lemon recipes!
Ingredient Notes
- Fresh lemon. Using fresh juice and zest is a must for best flavor. You’ll need both the zest and the juice for this lemon buttercream frosting recipe. Use our easy guide on how to zest a lemon for best tips.
- Heavy whipping cream. This gives the frosting a rich creamy flavor that’s so much better than regular milk.
- Powdered sugar. Sometimes referred to as confectioner’s sugar.
- Butter. I always choose unsalted butter for my baking.
Serving Suggestions
The hardest part of making lemon buttercream frosting from scratch is deciding how you’re going to use it!
- Cake. Dress up a simple vanilla cake with a layer of this zesty frosting.
- Cupcakes. It would be phenomenal on Lemon Coconut Cupcakes or Lemonade Cupcakes.
- Cake balls. Bake up a boxed cake mix , whip up some lemon butter ream and make cake balls with a lemon twist!
- Cookies. Brighten up plain sugar cookies with a layer of homemade lemon frosting.
- Cheesecake Cake. You’ll see this sweet frosting on our Lemon Cheesecake Cake. So good!
Recipe FAQs
You’ll need about 2 Tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice. One medium sized lemon should yield that much juice easily.
The heavy cream creates a richer, creamier frosting. However, if needed to, you can substitute milk. Add a little at a time to avoid making the lemon buttercream frosting too thin.
Yes, salted butter will work if you don’t have unsalted. For best results, use a high quality butter with high fat content and low water content.
Keep this frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Let it sit out at room temperature for 10 – 20 minutes before using to soften it up.
Freezing is a great option for leftover buttercream! Lemon buttercream can be stored in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and soften at room temperature before adding to your cupcakes and cakes.
More Frosting Flavors
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Sugar Cookie Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Homemade Whipped Cream
- Sour Cream Frosting
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Lemon Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- For the frosting, beat butter for 3-5 minutes until pale in color.
- Add powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice (about 2 Tbsp from fresh lemon) and cream. Beat for 3-5 minutes until fluffy.
Notes
- One lemon, depending on the size will yield anywhere from 1-2 Tablespons of zest and juice. For the frosting, add what tastes good to YOU. More lemon zest for more flavor.
- Recipe makes enough frosting for a 2 layer cake or 24 cupcakes.
Nutrition
The search for the perfect lemon cupcake frosting is over! It doesn’t get any tastier (or easier) than this sweet Lemon Buttercream Frosting recipe .
Wow! This frosting is incredible! Creamy, tangy, slightly sweet with a hint of richness.😋
Perfect for my family and for the cupcakes I just made! So excited to make this! Looks tasty and very yummy!
I put this on everything, cookies, cakes, brownies! We LOVE it!
This recipe was exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!