I’m trying to build out the frosting section on Sally’s Baking Addiction with some of my basic frosting faves and a few fun ones like creamy strawberry frosting and rainbow chip frosting (holy heck, that one!). My latest success is lemon buttercream frosting. This is a tricky one to master because lemon juice + zest can produce a curdled-looking buttercream, quite the opposite of anyone’s agenda. Have you ever tasted curdled fros… I can’t even finish that question. Gives me the heebie-jeebies.
(Note: I used Wilton 8B for today’s frosting!)
To overcome that curdled situation, you have to make sure you have enough confectioners’ sugar to battle the additional liquid. And, most notably, you want to stick to fresh lemon instead of artificial lemon flavoring. Lemon extract is wonderful and all, but it doesn’t even compare to fresh lemons in both the aroma and flavor categories.
But here’s the common dilemma! Adding extra confectioners’ sugar is an easy solution and all, but you can add *too* much. Overly sweet and artificial frosting follows, which is everything you were hoping against.
We want REAL lemon flavor. And:
- Tangy + creamy, sweet but not overly so.
- Easy to pipe, fresh, and silky.
- NOT curdled.
Tall orders when it comes to lemon buttercream, but I cracked that code. The secret is in the balance of confectioners’ sugar to liquid. With the precise recipe below, you’ll enter lemon frosting nirvana where you have the texture and consistency of vanilla buttercream, with fresh lemon flavor.
Besides adding enough confectioners’ sugar, my secret is the ratio of lemon juice to heavy cream. I used to skip the heavy cream completely and only use lemon juice as the liquid. Hence the curdling situation. Cream ensures a CREAMY and THICK (hey, who woulda thunk?) consistency. I don’t suggest subbing it out!
The pictured cupcakes are my lemon cupcakes. If lemon is your soul sista, this frosting and the lemon cupcakes are a combo you’ve gotta try. But it’s equally as delicious on white chocolate strawberry cupcakes, lemon blueberry cupcakes, and even vanilla cupcakes, as an alternative filling and frosting for a 6 inch citrus cake or lemon cake, or swiped on top of lemon shortbread cookies.
Print
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2.5 cups
- Category: Frosting
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Lemon buttercream frosting is tangy, sweet, and creamy. It tastes delicious on everything and is so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 and 1/2 cups (540g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 and 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- pinch salt, to taste
Instructions
- With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy—about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, heavy cream, and zest with the mixer running on low. Increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Taste and add salt as needed. Add up to 1/2 cup more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or another Tablespoon of cream if frosting is too thick.
- Cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing or refrigerating, thaw in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature then beat the frosting for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. You may need to add a little milk or heavy cream if it’s still too stiff.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Citrus Juicer | Zester | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Quantity: This recipe is enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes or one 9×13 quarter sheet cake.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi there! You are my new baking “go-to”.
I want to add food coloring. Will that impact the ratios?
Hi Shannon, we recommend using gel food coloring so that there is not too much additional liquid added to the frosting. We hope you enjoy it!
Thank you!! I’ll try and send pictures. I have made them before and I agree with everybody else that tasted them that that is the absolute best cupcake I have ever had in my life. So delicious it’s insane thank you again.
Hi I have a question I’m planning to frosting 3 layers 12 ” cake. How many recipes do I need to frosting ot with a good amount of frosting.
Thank you .
Hi Nesrin, this recipe yields 2.5 cups of frosting. You’ll likely need at least double, but you may need more depending on how heavily you want to frost and decorate.
Hi Sally,
Love your recipes and here I go again making one for a birthday!
I’m making your lemon blueberry cake and would like to use this frosting.
Will it make enough to generously frosting the cake and have some left for decorating?
Hi Lori! We’d recommend doubling or 1.5x this recipe for a 3 layer cake, depending on how much frosting you’d like for covering and decorating the cake. Hope this helps!
Is the lemon slice candied lemons?
Hi Nancy! These are just fresh lemon slices in the photos above.
Thank you so much for your recipe for the lemon frosting, it is delish
Hi! I am wondering if you have tried adding color to the frosting. I have someone who is requesting a lemon cake with bright color frosting! 🙂
Hi Desiree! Absolutely. We recommend using gel food coloring.
I used this recipe for lemon cupcakes at Easter. It’s the best I’ve ever had. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipe.
Can you sub half/half for heavy cream
Hi Gerri, you can, but start with a little less to make sure it isn’t too thin. Enjoy!
Will it still pipe easily with lemon dust in it or have you found that it might clog the tips?
Hi Judi, this buttercream pipes beautifully.
Very easy to follow and turned out perfectly.
I plan to use this on cupcakes. How many regular sized cupcakes will this recipe frost?
Hi Sandi, This recipe is enough to frost 12-16 cupcakes. Enjoy!
If I don’t have heavy cream is there something I can substitute? Last minute birthday cupcakes I’m trying to whip up. Thanks!
Hi Shannon, half-and-half or whole milk could work in a pinch, but try using a little less and then adding as needed to get to the texture and thickness you prefer.
Wow! I tried this frosting recipe, added lemon zest and it’s AMAZING! Thank you! Hope to make it again soon!
I’m looking forward to trying the recipe, but I will be using it to pipe flowers onto cupcakes. Will this be a thick-enough consistency for flowers (roses, hydrangeas, camelias)? Thanks!
Hi Lisa, yes, this buttercream pipes beautifully.
Thank you for the quick response!
Hi Sally, what tip did you use to frost the cupcakes pictured? thank you!
Hi Cali, that is a Wilton 8B Piping Tip.
I’m planning to triple your favorite white layer cake and divide into 6 thin, 9×13″ layers for a large rainbow cake. My daughter has requested lemon frosting. How much frosting should I make if I want a little left over for piping?
Hi Lindsay, this recipe yields 2.5 cups of frosting, which is enough to frost one 9×13 quarter sheet cake. You can multiply depending on how thick you’d like the frosting between the layers. Hope it’s a hit!
Hi there, is it possible to add food colouring to this buttercream? Or would you advise against it? I would be using oil based colouring. Thank you!
Hi Mary, Yes you can add food coloring to this frosting. We use and recommend gel food colors as you don’t have to add as much to get brighter colors.
Hi! So, the frosting tastes good, but I did have some complications making my it.
Unfortunately, my frosting curdled and I couldn’t figure out how to fix it, but that’s sort of on me. I assume the other frosting ingredients (not just the butter) also need to be less cold?
Or do you have any other tips for if my frosting curdles? Or tips on how to avoid it? Thank you.
Hi Jaiden, To overcome that curdled situation, you have to make sure you have enough confectioners’ sugar to battle the additional liquid. And, most notably, you want to stick to fresh lemon instead of artificial lemon flavoring.
Thank you so much! I’ll try again and keep this in mind! I appreciate the tips!
I’m a baker. I had a request for a lemon sheet cake with lemon buttercream frosting. I found this recipe and made it. It came out perfect!
Would it be okay to use green food coloring on this particular frosting?
Definitely. We recommend gel food coloring.
Can I use this to fill and crum coat cakes. Also, how long will that keep if not in the fridge.
Hi Margaret, yes, you can use this frosting for a crumb coat. We don’t recommend leaving it at room temperature for more than 24 hours.
Can I substitute orange zest and orange juice for buttercream recipe
Hi Diana, we haven’t tested this with orange but can’t see why it wouldn’t work!
Wonderful frosting, light and creamy, and just tart enough
I want to make your lemon cake with this buttercream but is it enough or do I need to double it?
Hi Charlie! This recipe should be enough to frost a 2 layer cake. You could make 1 and 1/2 batches if you would like extra for decorating.
What if I don’t have zest or a tool to make the zest?
Scrape the rind with a vegetable peeler and place rind in food processor and pulse for 15 seconds.
Delicious. Was perfect, just what I was looking for.
Hi! Can this be made a couple of days in advance to go inside of macarons? Or will something weird happen to it?
Hi Abby, see step 2! Cover tightly and store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. After freezing or refrigerating, thaw in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature then beat the frosting for a few seconds so it’s creamy again. You may need to add a little milk or heavy cream if it’s still too stiff.
I need to frost and pipe a 10″ 3 layer cake (I made the cake using your lemon cake recipe and doubled it – too much cake, but I’ll only use 3 of the layers). Do you think if I double this it would be enough? Or could you suggest another frosting (pipable) that would go further and be just as good?
Hi Kim, yes, doubling this recipe should give you enough frosting for a 3-layer 10-inch cake. Hope it turns out great!
Hi Sally,
How long can this recipe sit at room temperature?
Hi Roberta, after decorating anything with buttercream or cream cheese frosting, it’s fine for 1 day at room temperature. After that, it’s best to refrigerate it. As always, use your best judgment and whatever you are comfortable with.
Thank you for your quick reply. I love this recipe!! I baked lemon layer cakes for a local church. They loved the cakes!! Thank you so much!
I love this recipe especially since I was able to make half since my husband doesn’t care for frosting so we’re all happy. Thank you we enjoyed it!
I made the lemon cupcakes and lemon cream cheese frosting and they were delicious. Now, I’ve been asked to make a wedding cake with the same recipe. I’m concerned about the cream cheese frosting for a wedding cake because of the consistency. Is there a way to make it stiffer?
Hi Christina, you can try adding more confectioners’ sugar to the cream cheese frosting to thicken it up a bit. Or, you can use this lemon buttercream recipe that is made without cream cheese. We’re glad you enjoyed the cupcakes!