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Lemon Buttercream

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | March 3, 2018 25 Comments

What to do when a fierce Nor’easter dumps 14 inches of snow in your yard? My advice is to make a batch of Lemon Buttercream, and swirl it sky-high on cupcakes! Here’s the recipe for this fabulicious frosting:

Take 2 sticks (1 cup) of thoroughly-softened butter…

And beat it, at medium speed, until it’s light, fluffy, and pale in color — about 5 minutes.

Turn off the machine, and add 5 cups confectioners’ sugar.

Also add the zest of 1 lemon…

And the juice of the (zested) lemon.

Starting at low speed, and ending at high speed, beat the works until thick, wonderful, and tempting.

Oh. If the mixture is too thick, you can always thin it out with more lemon juice or plain water. If the frosting is too thin, simply add more confectioners’ sugar.

This next step is entirely up to you: Add a streak of yellow food coloring (I prefer the gel-type)…

And beat the frosting at medium-to-high speed until the color is evenly distributed — about 30 seconds.

This next step is not optional: Lick the beating attachment.

If you are spreading (not piping) the buttercream, you’ll find this recipe is ample enough for 24 cupcakes, one 9×13 sheet cake, or two 8-inch round cakes. To achieve the lemony swirls pictured above, I simply transferred the buttercream to a piping bag outfitted with a star tip.

Yes, I ate all three cupcakes.

(Oink.)

xKevin

Here’s the printable:

Print
Lemon Buttercream

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: enough for spreading 24 cupcakes, 1 9x13 sheet cake, or 2 8-inch round cakes

Bright with lemon juice and lemon zest, this frosting is delicious on cakes, cupcakes, and more.

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened to room temperature
  • 5 cups confectioners' sugar
  • The grated zest of 1 lemon
  • The juice of 1 lemon
  • Optional: yellow food coloring

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or any large bowl if using electric beaters), beat the butter at medium speed until light, fluffy, and pale -- about 5 minutes. Turn the mixer off, scrape down the bowl, and add the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Starting at low speed and ending at high speed, beat until the mixture is thick and smooth -- about 4 minutes. Add the food coloring, if desired, and beat at medium-to-high speed until the color is evenly distributed -- about 30 seconds.
3.1
https://www.agardenforthehouse.com/lemon-buttercream/
Copyright 2015 by Kevin Lee Jacobs

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SNOW!
French Macarons (GF)

Comments

  1. 1

    Janis says

    March 4, 2018 at 7:15 am

    Thank you, Kevin. This recipe looks delicious. Cannot wait to try it. Hope the sunshine breaks thru soon

  2. 2

    Elke says

    March 4, 2018 at 10:09 am

    Kevin, are you using unsalted or salted butter? Love your site!

  3. 3

    Mary V says

    March 4, 2018 at 10:09 am

    Three cupcakes about the size of 1 piece of cake! They looks delicious too.

  4. 4

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    March 4, 2018 at 10:20 am

    Hi Elke – I use unsalted butter, but the salted type will work as well. Enjoy the frosting!

  5. 5

    Michelle says

    March 4, 2018 at 10:20 am

    Yum. That is all.

  6. 6

    Joan says

    March 4, 2018 at 12:22 pm

    This has “Spring” written all over it…and I sure am ready!
    I would eat them all too! Love Lemon anything. Thanks!

  7. 7

    Jeannette Chapman says

    March 4, 2018 at 12:37 pm

    Kevin, thanks for sharing, just in time for Easter, I will be making this Lemon Buttercream Icing, I can taste it already. Can’t wait

  8. 8

    Jeannette says

    March 4, 2018 at 12:43 pm

    Kevin, thanks for posting this icing recipe. Just in time for Easter . I will be making this Lemon Buttercream Icing, I can’t wait taste the icing already!

  9. 9

    Bunee says

    March 4, 2018 at 1:37 pm

    Simple. Perfect. Yummy.

  10. 10

    Barbara says

    March 4, 2018 at 3:08 pm

    Yum!! luv,luv,luv lemon!! Thanks..

  11. 11

    Laurie says

    March 4, 2018 at 8:00 pm

    Hello Kevin,

    Thank you so much for sharing your winter garden knowledge. Now I can start my winter garden without worrying when the last frost date was.

    From Texas,
    Laurie

  12. 12

    Ardelle says

    March 4, 2018 at 8:47 pm

    Lemon, Lemon, Lemon… Anything lemon is always a hit… YUMMMY! THANKS!

  13. 13

    Mary in NJ says

    March 4, 2018 at 9:34 pm

    I love lemon! But found out recently that I am lactose intolerant : – (
    Any substitute for the butter with the same great taste?

  14. 14

    rmsd says

    March 5, 2018 at 10:07 am

    Thanks so much, Karen!

  15. 15

    CAROL says

    March 5, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    Sorry about your many inches of snow… that’s why I love Texas.. it’s 70 degrees and sunny!
    Lemon reminds me of my mom, she loved lemon anything. I’m sure she would have enjoyed this recipe.
    Hope you can dig out soon and stay safe.
    Carol
    Texas

  16. 16

    Lorhkan says

    March 6, 2018 at 2:08 am

    Darn autocorrect I hope you both have fun making and shaking that confectioners sugar! Thanks, Hil!

  17. 17

    kt mm says

    March 6, 2018 at 6:43 pm

    Oh, Kevin, you gotta get to Albany. Trader Joe’s has Meyer lemons which would be perfect for this recipe! 🙂

  18. 18

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    March 6, 2018 at 7:00 pm

    Hi kt mm — I adore Meyer lemons!

  19. 19

    Rebecca says

    March 25, 2018 at 7:49 am

    Every year my son asks for the same thing: Lemon cake. Lemon frosting. Sprinkles.

  20. 20

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    March 25, 2018 at 8:17 am

    Hi Rebecca – And you are a good mother for honoring your son’s lemonicious requests!

  21. 21

    Lynn says

    January 26, 2019 at 7:17 pm

    Thank you so much for this recipe! It is exactly what I was looking for. I made it just as it is written and it couldn’t have turned out better. The flavor and texture were perfect!! It was beautiful piped onto my lemon cupcakes with lemon filling…

  22. 22

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    January 26, 2019 at 10:24 pm

    Hi Lynn -I’m so glad this recipe worked out for you. Thanks for the kind review!

  23. 23

    Cara Mimosa says

    May 5, 2023 at 6:13 pm

    I watched your “Quiche, cake and flowers” video and I’ll be adopting it! Thnx!

  24. 24

    Alma says

    May 5, 2023 at 6:15 pm

    I watched your video “Quiche, cake and flowers” and I’ll be adopting it! Thnx!

  25. 25

    Alma Abrego says

    May 5, 2023 at 6:17 pm

    It was delightful to watch your “Quiche, cake and flowers” video. I’m definitely adopting it! Thnx!

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