Lemon Buttercream Frosting

This light and fluffy lemon buttercream frosting recipe has a bright flavor that is perfect for frosting or filling your favorite summer desserts! It combines a delicious vanilla buttercream frosting with the juice of fresh lemons to create a delightfully sweet cream with true citrus flavor. If you have been looking for the best lemon buttercream frosting for cakes, cupcakes, or cookies– you can stop your search here!

Jump to:

• 🌟 Why this is the best Lemon Buttercream Frosting recipe
• 📝 Ingredient notes
• 👩‍🍳 How to make Lemon Buttercream Frosting
• 🍰 How Much Lemon Buttercream Do I Need to Make For A Cake?
• ❄️ Storage and Freezing
• 🔍 Troubleshooting
• 🎓 Expert tips
• 🥣 Equipment Notes
• ❓Recipe FAQs
• 🧁 More Frostings
• Lemon Buttercream Frosting

🌟 Why this is the best Lemon Buttercream Frosting recipe

1. It is easy to make - This simple lemon buttercream frosting recipe requires only a few steps and just 10 minutes of your time. 
2. No fancy ingredients required - This recipe's six ingredients are pantry staples you can easily find in your neighborhood grocery store or kitchen. No special trips are necessary!
3. It is absolutely delicious - This fluffy lemon frosting uses American buttercream frosting as a base. Combining the vanilla with the lemon juice creates the perfect balance of sweetness and refreshing lemon flavor. It just may be the best lemon buttercream frosting you have ever tasted!
4. It is versatile - Just like vanilla or chocolate buttercream frosting, this creamy lemon buttercream goes great with just about any dessert. Try it with my lemon cookies or lemon brownies. Or, use it to replace the cream cheese in my strawberry crunch cake!

📝 Ingredient notes

Butter - Butter is the most important ingredient in this recipe and gives the frosting its creamy texture and delicious flavor. For the best results, use a high-fat butter. I like to use European-style butter with an 82% fat content. Always use unsalted butter to fully control the salt quantity in the recipe. The butter must also be softened or brought to room temperature before use.

Powdered Sugar - Powdered sugar adds sweetness to the buttercream and helps give it structure. Icing sugar is also commonly used. Be sure to sift before using to avoid lumps in the frosting. See my sugar guide to learn more about the different types of sugar used in baking recipes.

Lemon Juice - The lemon juice gives the buttercream frosting its lemon flavor and balances out the amount of sugar in the recipe. I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best taste. However, you can also try one of these lemon juice substitutes. You can also experiment with other citrus flavors like lime, orange, or yuzu juice!

Vanilla Extract - The base frosting uses vanilla to add flavor to the buttercream. For the best taste, use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. 

Salt - A small amount of salt balances out the sugar and citrus flavors.

Heavy Cream - Heavy cream (a/k/a heavy whipping cream) gives buttercream a creamy, fluffy texture. For the best results, always use high-quality cream with at least 36% fat content.

🛒 You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the Recipe Card at the bottom of this post.

👩‍🍳 How to make Lemon Buttercream Frosting

1. Start by bringing the butter to room temperature. See my guide on how to soften butter quickly so that it is neither too hot nor too cold. The temperature of the butter is critical in this recipe. If not softened, it won't cream with the sugar, resulting in a lumpy, grainy texture.
2. In the meantime, prepare your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. 
3. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed, then cream the room-temperature butter for approximately three minutes until it reaches a fluffy consistency and becomes lighter in color.
4. Next, switch the mixer to low speed and slowly add the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Once combined, return to medium-high speed and whip for approximately four minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and voluminous.
5. Return the mixer to low speed. Then, add the fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream. Continue to whip for another minute until the texture becomes smooth and silky.
6. At this point, the lemon buttercream should be the perfect consistency for piping. However, if it is too thick, add one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until it loosens. If it is too thin, add one tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time until it thickens.

💡 Top Tip: Use this lemon buttercream immediately while the butter in the cream is still at room temperature and the ingredients are freshly mixed.

🍰 How Much Lemon Buttercream Do I Need to Make For A Cake?

This recipe alone is enough to frost 12 cupcakes generously. To use lemon buttercream for cake, you must consider the cake's size and complexity to calculate the amount needed. If you make a 6-inch cake, you will need approximately 2x the buttercream. If you are making a 7-inch cake, you will need 2.5x more. For an 8-inch cake, you will need 3x more.

❄️ Storage and Freezing

All buttercreams are best when used immediately after being made. However, if you are making it ahead of time or have leftovers, you can store it in a piping bag at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

If you store the buttercream in the refrigerator, you must bring it back to room temperature before using it. To increase the volume, use a stand mixer to whip the room-temperature cream for another minute or two.

You can freeze the Lemon American buttercream frosting in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bringing it back to room temperature overnight is best, then whipping it in the stand mixer for a minute or two, increasing the frosting volume. 

🔍 Troubleshooting

The buttercream is too grainy - Grainy buttercream results from the butter not being soft enough to dissolve the sugar entirely. To fix it, re-whip it with the paddle attachment until it becomes smoother. Alternatively, add one tablespoon of heavy cream and mix until smooth.

The buttercream is too runny - If the butter is too warm, it can result in runny buttercream. To thicken it, add a small amount of sifted powdered sugar at a time. You can also chill it in the refrigerator to reduce the temperature and stiffen the cream.

The butter separated from the frosting - If the butter separated and caused the cream to "curdle," it is likely because it was too cold. To fix it, add a little warmth to the bowl's exterior (e.g. using a hair dryer) to help soften the butter, then mix until smooth.

🎓 Expert tips

1. Stick with high-quality, high-fat butter and heavy cream for the best flavor and creamy texture.
2. The temperature of the butter can make or break the buttercream. Remove the butter from the refrigerator an hour or so before beginning the recipe to avoid last-minute microwaving. You can also try one of these tips for softening butter quickly.
3. Always mix at low speed when adding the powdered sugar to prevent a huge sugar cloud! 
4. When adding the lemon juice, returning the mixer to low speed is vital to ensure it thoroughly mixes into the buttercream.
5. Use the paddle attachment on your stand mixer to avoid unnecessary air bubbles from getting into the cream.
6. Add a small amount of yellow food coloring when creaming the butter to give your lemon buttercream a bright yellow color. I recommend using gel food coloring, as liquid food coloring will add more moisture to the cream.

🥣 Equipment Notes

Always use a digital scale to measure the ingredients, as it gives the most accurate and consistent measurements.

The easiest way to mix the ingredients is with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You can use an electric hand mixer if you do not have a stand mixer.

❓Recipe FAQs

🧁 More Frostings