How to make perfect lemon buttercream frosting!
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I love working with refreshing lemon flavors in my sweet treats. I love making everything from lemon cakes to lemon cupcakes to lemon-iced sugar cookies! One thing I’ve learned about making lemon-y sweets is that you need to make a perfectly-paired frosting or icing to get the ultimate complimentary flavor combination.
While cream cheese frosting and vanilla buttercream are great options, I have found that the best lemon treats actually pair better with other lemon flavors, like with my easy Lemon Buttercream Frosting! Absolutely nothing compares to a lemon on lemon treat.
To make this recipe even better, it’s super simple and easy to follow along with so it’s perfect for all bakers, even beginners! Here’s how to make my easy and scrumptious lemon buttercream frosting!
How much lemon juice is in one lemon?
One medium-sized lemon typically yields about 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 2-3 tablespoons of lemon juice.
- 1 lemon = 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 lemon = 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
If you’re looking for a lemon extract alternative, you can use:
- 1 tsp of lemon extract = 2 tsp of lemon zest
For a step-by-step guide on how to extract lemon juice and zest, check out my video tutorial How to Get Perfect Lemon Zest
To make lemon buttercream frosting, all you need is: butter, powdered sugar, salt, lemon juice, and some typical kitchen utensils. First, beat the butter by itself with a mixer until it has doubled in size. Then, add in the salt and lemon juice and beat again. Gradually mix in the sugar ½ cup at a time until it’s all mixed in and the frosting is smooth. Finally, transfer the lemon frosting to a piping bag lined with a piping tip and close it off with a tie.
Frosting Equipment
First, let me go over my homemade buttercream frosting equipment. I don’t need a ton of tools here, just a few typical baking utensils and some decorating tools. Here’s what I use to make lemon buttercream frosting:
- Measuring Cup
- Measuring spoons
- KitchenAid mixer
- Spatulas
- Piping bags
- Piping bag ties
- Jumbo piping tips
- Lemon squeezer
Lemon Frosting Ingredients
Next, let me break down my super simple, short, and sweet ingredient list! For this light and lemony frosting you will only need 4 simple ingredients. Here are my ingredients for perfect lemon buttercream frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter– room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup Lemon juice– from two lemons
How to Make Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Now, let’s get down to some frosty, lemony business! This process is super easy so it’s perfect for beginners. If you’re familiar with making homemade frostings then you already know what to expect here. Here’s how to make my scrumptious lemon buttercream frosting:
- First, measure out all of the lemon buttercream frosting ingredients with the measuring cup and spoons.
- Next, prepare a stand mixer with a beater attachment.
- Then, add the room temp butter to the mixer bowl.
- Beat the butter by itself for 5 minutes, or until it is double in size, light, and creamy.
- Then, add in the salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the butter bowl and beat again.
- Next, add in the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. For this step, I like to keep my mixer on a low speed otherwise the kitchen gets covered in powdered sugar.
- After mixing in all the powdered sugar, run the mixer on high speed for 8 minutes.
- Then, scoop the lemon buttercream frosting into a piping bag lined with a metal piping tip.
- Finally, close the frosting bag with a tie and start piping the frosting onto your treats!
Storing Homemade Frosting
To store lemon frosting: transfer the frosting to an airtight container or a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Store the frosting in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If freezing, I like to double-bag the frosting because it helps save some freezer space. Always label the date on the outside to keep up with freshness. Let the frosting come to room temperature and whip again before using.
More frostings recipes
Sweet Toppings and Treats
Loved this lemony delight? Then you’ll definitely want to stick around and check out some of my other lemon recipes, easy frostings, and fabulous fillings:
Lemon Desserts:
- Lemon Glaze for Cookies and Cakes
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Maggiano’s Copycat Lemon Wedge Cookies
- Lemon Cranberry Bundt Cake with Sugared Cranberries
- Lemon Cookies
- Easter Lemon Cookies
More Buttercream Frostings:
- Homemade Buttercream Frosting
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- Meringue Frosting
- Homemade Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
- Easy Bundt Cake Frosting
- Store-bought Buttercream Frosting Hacks
- Eggnog Frosting
More Glazes and Fillings:
- Vanilla Cake Glaze
- Caramel Glaze
- Chocolate Glaze for Bundt Cakes
- Homemade Whipped Cream
- Chocolate Ganache
- White Chocolate Ganache
- Toffee Glaze
- Easy Bundt Cake Glaze
- Eggnog Glaze for Bundt Cakes
- Cream Cheese Filling for Bundt Cakes (and other pastries)
- Cake Syrup
- Royal Icing
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup Lemon juice from two lemons
Instructions
- First, measure out all of the lemon buttercream frosting ingredients with the measuring cup and spoons.
- Next, prepare a stand mixer with a beater attachment.
- Then, add the room temp butter to the mixer bowl.
- Beat the butter by itself for 5 minutes, or until it is double in size, light, and creamy.
- Then, add in the salt and freshly squeezed lemon juice to the butter bowl and beat again.
- Next, add in the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. For this step, I like to keep my mixer on a low speed otherwise the kitchen gets covered in powdered sugar.
- After mixing in all the powdered sugar, run the mixer on high speed for 8 minutes.
- Then, scoop the lemon buttercream frosting into a piping bag lined with a metal piping tip.
- Finally, close the frosting bag with a tie and start piping the frosting onto your treats!
Notes
Nutrition
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