Lemon Buttercream

Lemony buttercream frosting is perfect for cakes or cupcakes.

Last week I posted my recipe for lemon curd. This week lemon buttercream frosting. There is definitely lemon in the air around my house! This frosting is the perfect topping for lemon cupcakes.

Ingredients for lemon buttercream

• Butter
• Lemon zest
• Lemon juice
• Powdered sugar

When making buttercream frosting there are a couple of tips to keep in mind

• Make certain your butter is at room temperature. I usually let mine sit out on the counter for at least one hour before I will use it.
• Begin whipping your butter first, before adding other ingredients. This helps make certain your butter is nice and creamy.
• If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sift it through a sieve before using. The lumps don’t disappear when you add the powdered sugar to the butter.
• Always add the lesser amount of recommended liquid. Sometimes you won’t need to add any additional liquid or your buttercream will be too runny.
• If buttercream is too thick, just add a bit more liquid.
• This buttercream recipe does not hold up well in the heat. If it’s too warm for a stick of butter to hold its shape, the buttercream won’t hold its shape either.
• Refrigerate buttercream as needed. Just let it come back to room temperature before using.
• Use fresh squeezed lemon juice and don’t skimp on the zest.

Will this buttercream hold up in warm temperatures?

This buttercream is made with all butter and it holds up best at room temperature. If the temperature turns too warm this frosting will begin to soften and sag. You can store buttercream in the refrigerator to help keep it’s shape.

If you need a firmer buttercream, you can use 1/2 butter and 1/2 crisco. The flavor will change slightly, but your frosting will be a bit more stable. 

This lemon frosting is perfect for cupcakes or  a yellow cake. The burst of lemon will keep your taste buds happy. 

Other buttercream frostings

In addition to this lemony buttercream frosting, I also make chocolate buttercream  pumpkin spice butter cream and regular buttercream frostings.

5 from 3 votes

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Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Prep Time

10 mins

Total Time

10 mins

 

Lemony buttercream

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: buttercream, buttercream frosting with lemon, lemon buttercream, lemon buttercream frosting

Servings: 2 cups

Calories: 283 kcal

Author: Kathy

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter softened
• 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 2-4 Tablespoons lemon juice fresh squeezed

Instructions

1. Place butter in bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until soft and creamy. 

2. Mix in lemon zest. 

3. Mix powdered sugar into buttercream one cup at a time. 

4. Mix in lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time. 

Recipe Notes

Keep leftover frosting covered in fridge for up to a week. Bring to room temperature and stir before using.

Nutrition Facts

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Amount Per Serving

Calories 283 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 15g 23%

Saturated Fat 9g 45%

Cholesterol 40mg 13%

Sodium 135mg 6%

Potassium 4mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 38g 13%

Sugars 37g

Vitamin A 9.5%

Vitamin C 2.7%

Calcium 0.6%

Iron 0.1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.