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Lemon Buttercream Frosting

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If you're into lemon desserts, this lemon buttercream frosting is a must. It's smooth, creamy, and full of bright citrus flavor — perfect for frosting a lemon cake, piping onto cupcakes, or adding a fresh, tangy touch to any treat.

Lemon buttercream frosting in a dessert plate
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Lemon buttercream is my go-to when I want something sweet, creamy, and just a little tangy. It’s a twist on my classic American buttercream, but with that bright lemon flavor I can’t get enough of.

It comes together with just a few simple ingredients: butter, powdered sugar, and a spoonful of homemade lemon curd to make it extra smooth and full of real citrus flavor.

This frosting is perfect for smoothing a layer cake, piping pretty swirls on cupcakes, or filling cookies with a fresh, zesty touch.

Why you'll love this recipe

  • Super easy to make – No cooking required, just a few basic ingredients and it’s ready in minutes.
  • Real lemon flavor – Made with homemade lemon curd for a fresh, natural citrus taste.
  • Perfect texture – Smooth, stable, and great for frosting layer cakes or piping onto cupcakes.

Craving more lemon curd desserts? Try these strawberry lemonade cupcakes, my egg yolk lemon curd, or this classic lemon meringue tart — all bursting with bright, tangy flavor!

Ingredients You Need

You’ll need these ingredients to make lemon buttercream frosting:

  • Butter – Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
  • Powdered sugar – Also called confectioners’ sugar, for a smooth and fluffy texture.
  • Heavy cream – Just a splash to lighten the frosting and make it creamy.
  • Vanilla extract – For extra flavor and balance.
  • Eggs – Use large eggs for richness and structure of the lemon filling.
  • Granulated sugar – To sweeten the lemon curd.
  • Lemon juice and zest – Freshly squeezed fresh lemon juice, for a bold lemon flavor and add lemon zest extra citrus aroma and depth.
  • Cornstarch – Optional, to help thicken the curd.
bowls with ingredients

How To Make Lemon Buttercream Frosting

Here are a few quick visual steps — but don’t forget, the full instructions with exact measurements are in the recipe card below!

Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed for about 5 minutes, until it’s pale and fluffy.

Add the powdered sugar in two additions, mixing well after each. Then mix in the vanilla extract and a splash of heavy cream to get that light, smooth texture.

mixing bowl with creamed butter
large mixing bowl with whipped buttercream

Add the lemon curd and whip for another 2 minutes, until the lemon frosting is smooth and well combined.

Finish by mixing on low speed with a spatula to remove air bubbles. You can use the buttercream right away, or store it in the fridge with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface.

mixing bowl with lemon curd and buttercream
large mixing bowl with lemon buttercream

How To Use This Lemon Frosting

  • Frosting a layer cake – Perfect for covering a lemon cake with a smooth, clean finish.
  • Piping decorations – Great for piping swirls, borders, or even simple rosettes on cakes and cupcakes.
  • Cupcake topping – Holds its shape beautifully and adds a fresh lemon twist to your lemon cupcakes.
  • Cake filling – Use it between layers for a creamy, tangy touch that pairs perfectly with lemon or vanilla sponge.
  • Spread on cookies – Try it on sugar cookies or shortbread for an easy, delicious treat.
  • Sandwich cookies – Pipe a dollop between two soft cookies like whoopie pies or lemon sugar cookies.
  • Brownie topping – Spread a thin layer on top of brownies for a surprising citrus twist.
  • Macaron filling – It also works wonderfully inside lemon macarons.
lemon cake with lemon buttercream

Tips for this recipe

  • Use soft, room temperature butter – Not melted! It should be soft enough to whip into a smooth, creamy base.
  • Whip the butter well on its own – This gives you a light, fluffy texture right from the start.
  • Sift the powdered sugar – It helps avoid lumps and makes the frosting extra smooth.
  • Add lemon curd at room temperature – So it blends in easily without affecting the texture.
  • Finish on low speed – Whipping slowly at the end helps smooth the buttercream and get rid of air bubbles.
  • Store it in the fridge – Cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed on the surface, and let it come back to room temp before using.

Variations & Substitutions

  • Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream – Swap the American buttercream for my Swiss meringue buttercream recipe and fold in lemon curd for a smooth, less sweet option with a silky finish.
  • Lime Buttercream – Replace lemons with limes for a fresh, slightly tropical twist. Perfect for summer cakes and cupcakes.
  • Bright yellow frosting – Add a touch of lemon yellow gel food coloring for a vibrant look, especially if you want a more colorful finish for birthday cakes or spring desserts.
  • Extra tangy version – Add a few drops of lemon extract if you want to boost the citrus flavor even more.
  • Lemon buttercream cream cheese frosting – Use my cream cheese buttercream base and add lemon curd for an extra tangy, rich frosting.

You will also love

pipped lemon buttercream on a plate

I hope you loved this lemon buttercream frosting recipe! Feel free to leave a rating and a comment to let me know how it turned out for you. Happy baking!

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Lemon Buttercream Frosting

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  • Author: Fadela
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 10 portions
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Description

Lemon buttercream frosting made with a classic American-style base and flavored with homemade lemon curd. (Yields enough to frost a 6-inch layer cake or decorate about 10 cupcakes)

Ingredients

  • 200 g (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter – very soft
  • 350 g (2¾ cups) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 80 ml  (⅓ cup) heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 100 g (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) homemade lemon curd 

Instructions

Make the lemon curd

  1. Start by preparing a half batch of my homemade lemon curd recipe to get about 100 g (roughly ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) — just the right amount for this frosting.
  2. Let it cool completely before adding it to the buttercream.

Make the buttercream

  1. Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, until very pale and fluffy.
  2. Add the sifted powdered sugar in two additions. Mix slowly at first to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase the speed to fully incorporate.
  3. Next, add the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Whip again until the frosting is light, smooth, and creamy.
  4. Finally, add the cooled lemon curd and whip for another 2 minutes, until the frosting is silky and evenly mixed.
  5. Finish by mixing on low speed to smooth out the texture and remove air bubbles.
  6. Use right away, or cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface and refrigerate until ready to use.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container, with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface.

Tips:

  • Use very soft butter for a smooth texture.
  • Sift the powdered sugar to avoid lumps.
  • Add the lemon curd once fully cooled to keep the frosting stable.
  • Mix on low speed at the end to smooth out the buttercream.
  • Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before using.
  • If it firms up too much, give it a quick whip to bring back the creamy texture.
  • For best accuracy, use a kitchen scale instead of measuring cup
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: frosting, fillings, cream
  • Cuisine: American
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