The Best Zesty Lemon Buttercream Recipe
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This Lemon Buttercream Frosting is made with butter, powdered sugar, and a zesty lemon gel.
Lemon buttercream is freaking delicious when made right. Probably one of the most frustrating things when making a fruit frosting like lemon is how it ends up being watery or soupy that ends up sliding off the cake or cupcake.
I’ll show you the exact steps to get this full flavor buttercream without watering it down in this tutorial.
The key to making this perfect lemon buttercream is the lemon gel. It’s a concentrated lemon flavor that’s made with lemon juice, cornstarch, and lemon zest. All these ingredients are cooked together to make a thick gel-like texture.
This lemon buttercream is perfect for cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and you can even enjoy it by the spoonful!
Tips for success:
- Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this cake.
- You can make the buttercream a day ahead and refrigerate them overnight. Then take them out to come back to room temperature.
- Ensure the buttercream is at room temperature before re-whipping; if needed, add 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream to make buttercream smooth.
What Tools You May Need:
- 5-quart, Stand Mixer with mixing bowl & paddle attachment
- Offset spatula
- Whisk or sifter
- Rubber Spatula
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and measuring spoons
- Cake Stand, optional
- Microplane, or zester
- Juicer (electric or hand)
Here’s how to make this bright and bold lemon buttercream!
Let’s Get Started!
Lemon Gel
- In a small saucepot, whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch. Place the pot over medium heat for 2-5 minutes to bring to a boil, stir with a rubber spatula constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
- Add lemon zest to the mixture. The lemon should be opaque and thick. Once thick, remove from the heat and place into the freezer to cool quickly.
Lemon Buttercream
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the cold lemon gel, salt, and vanilla.
- Next, gradually add powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream. Mix on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Before decorating, turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles, or use a rubber spatula to push out the air bubbles. (You may need to repeat this step when frosting the outside of the cake).
You May Also Enjoy:
- Build Cakes Like a Pro (free guide)
- 10 Scratch Made Frostings for Beginner Bakers (recipe)
- 14 Ways to Make American Buttercream (post)
- Cake Decorating for Beginners (masterclass)
I’m so excited to see your Lemon Buttercream creations. Please feel free to email me here at xokatierosario@gmail.com with any questions you may have; I’ll be happy to help!
Happy Decorating!
Hey, if you liked this tutorial, you really should check out Cake Decorating for Beginners, my signature masterclass. I coach you on everything I teach on these cake tutorials on a deeper level so that you can uplevel your baking and decorating skills. We 10x it to get the results you want most impressive cakes that your friends and family will love. Like any new skill, it’s essential to learn from the ground up to build a foundation so that you can take on any cake challenge. It is an investment your future self will thank you for. Check it out at XOKatieRosario.com/cake-masterclass. I will see you there!
Watch The How-to Video Below:
Lemon Buttercream
Ingredients
Lemon Gel
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest
Lemon Buttercream
- 2 cups (or 4 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup lemon gel recipe (as seen above)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 7 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream, if needed
Instructions
Lemon Gel
- In a small saucepot, whisk together lemon juice and cornstarch. Place the pot over medium heat for 2-5 minutes to bring to a boil, stir with a rubber spatula constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
- Add lemon zest to the mixture. The lemon should be opaque and thick. Once thick, remove from the heat and place into the freezer to cool quickly.
Lemon Buttercream
- In the stand mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and add the cold lemon gel, salt, and vanilla.
- Next, gradually add powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream. Mix on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Before decorating, turn the mixer on low and mix for 2 minutes to push out any air bubbles, or use a rubber spatula to push out the air bubbles. (You may need to repeat this step when frosting the outside of the cake).
Notes
- Read through all the ingredients and instructions so you can get a better idea of how much time and what you need to make this cake.
- You can make the buttercream a day ahead and refrigerate them overnight. Then take them out to come back to room temperature.
- Ensure the buttercream is at room temperature before re-whipping; if needed, add 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream to make buttercream smooth.
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