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Tart and sweet, this lemon buttercream frosting is dessert heaven! Because lemons make life better. You’d better hold on to your spoons because this frosting is honestly irresistible! If you are looking for a lemon glaze, try my Lemon Glaze recipe—it’s one of the most popular on this website!
How to Make Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients needed:
- 1 cup of salted butter
- 4 cups of icing sugar
- Two tablespoons of lemon zest
- Three tablespoons of lemon juice
- Two teaspoons cream
Directions:
- Whip your butter with the paddle attachment if you have one, or just a general beater with your mixer.
- Add your icing sugar, one cup at a time, beating continuously. Two tablespoons of lemon zest worked wonderfully for me. By the way, the zested peel should not be done on a regular grater. You need a smaller size, a zester grater, in fact. The size is perfect without being overwhelming in your cooking.
The three tablespoons of lemon juice were just perfect for my tastes. They were zingy and zippy, with a sweet background of pure sugar and butter. I then added the two teaspoons of cream to thin it out.
And THEN… then, I put it on my lemon blueberry coffee cake (recipe coming in the next couple of days). I took half to work, where the ladies promptly raved over the icing and demolished it all, and half to my son’s school for the teacher’s lunchroom.
Happy baking, everyone!
Make sure that you also get my recipe for vanilla Buttercream Frosting, or if you are looking for something zippier my Cream Cheese Icing is also amazing on red velvet, chocolate cake, you name it!
Karlynn
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 minute
- Total Time
- 6 minutes
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- Frosting
- Servings
- 18
- Calories
- 196
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 1 cup of salted butter
- 4 cups of icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cream
Instructions
- Whip your butter with the paddle attachment if you have one, or just a general beater with your mixer.
- Add in your icing sugar, one cup at a time, beating continously. Now 2 tablespoons lemon zest worked wonderfully for me. Zested peel should not be done on a regular grater, by the way, you need a smaller size, a zester grater, in fact. The size is perfect without being overwhelming chunks in your cooking.
- The 3 tablespoons of lemon juice was just perfect for my tastes, zingy and zippy with a sweet background of pure sugar and butter. I then added the 2 teaspoons of cream to thin it out.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Maxsmom says
Most awesome lemon icing ever! I followed recipe exactly and so happy with results! The one who commented saying it wasn’t like buttercream?? I don’t understand… They must have measured something wrong! This is the most wonderful lemon buttercream ever! The lemon zest made it very tasty! Thank you for sharing this!!!!
thekitchenmagpie says
Maxsmom So glad that you liked it! Welcome to the site!!
Patrick Wemitt says
This recipe is relatively easy to make and the directions are spot on. I wanted to add another shot of lemon juice to lend a bit more flavor but opted not to stay true to the recipe. When I added the lemon zest it made it really pop lemony! I’m going to use a lime filling for the cupcakes and frost with a light green lemon icing for St. Patty’s day!
Patrick Wemitt says
This recipe is relatively easy to make and the directions are spot on. I wanted to add another shot of lemon juice to lend a bit more flavor but opted not to stay true to the recipe. When I added the lemon zest it made it really pop lemony! I’m going to use a lime filling for the cupcakes and frost with a light green lemon icing for St. Patty’s day!
Trishy says
I made this recipe last night, I found this to be way too sweet. It seemed to be more like traditional icing, rather then a rich butter cream. No Complaints from my taste testers, but I think I will keep looking for a real butter cream.
I followed this recipe exactly, don’t believe in modifications before I have tried the original.
Kelly Baker says
I doubled the recipe to frost a layer cake and it was amazing. I added more lemon because I wanted it a little tarter. The texture was spot on fluffy and creamy. Perfect!
thekitchenmagpie says
@Kelly Baker So glad you liked it!
SabineVan says
This frosting is fabulous! Made it today to practice making a ‘rose cake’ next time I will have to at least triple this but it is definitely one of my favorite frostings…next to your chocolate one of course! Thanks for a great recipe!
Karlynn Johnston says
Thank you! It is one of my very favorites!
leeesh says
I dont have cream can i do it without cream?
Karlynn Johnston says
Coffee cream is a dairy cream, about 18% milkfat. Get close to that amount of fat if you can!
ShikinAhmad says
Hi karlynn,what kind of cream u use, non dairy cream ,dairy cream or cream that i never know? Tq
hannahmdejong says
Hi! I made this icing today, but it seemed to curdle weirdly . It was smooth at first, but when I added the cream it curdled and looked lumpy. Was I just not mixing it enough? Not sure if the lemon juice curdled the cream or what, and how to make it better. Let me know what I can do!
Carole says
Used this on my lemon lavender cupcakes, came out amazing!! Good recipe!!
Amanda says
Oh YUMM-O!!!! Looks fabulous! I’ve made your regular buttercream icing and I’m trying out your chocolate one tonight. I seriously LOVE your creations. I haven’t been able to find a tip that looks like that when I pipe my icing onto my cupcakes. I first saw it on your grape cupcakes. PLEEEEASE tell me which one you use!!! 😛
Big fan from Winnipeg! 🙂
thekitchenmagpie says
@Amanda I missed this question! Sorry about that ! It’s a wilton #8 tip!
Laura says
This sounds so yummy,I wanna make it, but I’m missing the cream. Do u think it’d be ok to add whipping cream instea?
kristi says
Going to try this for Easter….will let you know but sounds yummy!
Thanks
Barbara Imes says
cannot wait to try it:)
lyne says
Absolutely OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!! icing!!!!!
Jackie says
Hi
Why did you use salted butter in this recipe.
Karlynn says
I use salted butter in all my icings. Salt cuts the sweet, adding another taste dimension to what usually is far too sweet for most people’s tastes. Works amazing!
Alicia says
@Karlynn Is icing sugar the same as powdered sugar?
Amanda says
I used this on my son’s rainbow birthday cake and it was seriously the best frosting I have EVER had. It will definitely be my go-to frosting from here on out. A million thank you’s!
Karlynn says
Glad it worked out! The lemon version is my favorite.
Giny says
Just made your recipe but used lime instead (my fav!) Really a great icing. Thanks!
Karlynn says
You’re welcome, I am glad you liked it! The icing base lends itself to so many creations, lime sounds fantastic!
Suzy says
I used your “Lemon Buttercream Icing” recipe today for my lemon cream cake, and it turned out great!! Thank you so much! This is the first time I have made icing from scratch. I actually added 1 tsp. of vanilla, only because I LOVE vanilla extract. I will definitely use this for my icing again and again.
Thanks,
Suzy
Vivian says
Made this frosting today for a velvet cake I made. It is so delicious and it goes well with the velvet cake. In fact I prefer this frosting over the traditional cream cheese frosting. It does need to be refrigerated when you are done at least where I live because it gets really hot (summertime). I like the texture both refrigerated and at room temperature. In fact while posting this comment I was eating my velvet cake with this frosting on it. Love the tangy fresh flavor. I did not have to add the cream as I decided to add 4 tablespoons of lemon juice and it brought the frosting to my desired consistency. Thanks so much.
ginmarie says
Awesome, I have been learning to decorate cakes for 4 months now and would love to have a change from plain butter cream just something to mix it up. This sounds yummy.
BabyChick says
I can not wait! to try this recipe 🙂 I looove lemon and I have the perfect cookies to sandwich it with 🙂 I’ll make sure to tag you in my blog when I make them!
Mary says
I rarely have time to bake, but since we are snowbound in Western Maryland, I’m going to play with your recipe on my 4 layer buttermilk cake. My family wants me to alternate layers of whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and lemon frosting, and after checking out a LOT of lemon icing recipes, this one looks just perfect! (The photo didn’t hurt either!) Thanks a bunch!
Frimmy says
This looks amazing and I’m always interested in a recipe with lemon. I’ll be trying this out very soon. I can even buy those exact same brands in my grocery stores.
Memoria says
This buttercream looks and sounds fantastic. I love the additions you made. I make a similar buttercream, so I’m sure I can remember the lemon part.
@Melinda – you could also use milk. I’ve used whole and skim milk in buttercream frosting.
P.S. I have the same mixer as you! I won it on pioneerwoman.com.
Karlee says
I’m drooling over this…but I cannot make it because I will eat it all!
melinda kumar says
just what i was looking for…but do you think i could add buttermilk instead of cream? i don’t want to make a trip to the store just for 2 teaspoons of cream…
Karlynn says
To be honest, I used SO little cream ( a mere two teaspoons, not tablespoons!) because the lemon juice really thins it out beautifully. I would think it would work just fine. You might not even need it, depending on the consistency you arrive at.
chocolate shavings says
What’s not too like about lemon buttercream icing? Looks delicious!