This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
My homemade tangy lemon cream cheese frosting recipe is thick, luscious, and bright. Infused with bold, sweet lemon flavor, it’s one of my favorite toppings for springtime desserts and comes together with just four simple ingredients (and foolproof steps!).
Here’s a little secret: you can use pretty much any cake, boxed or frozen or homemade–but your frosting? Homemade frosting is the game-changer that makes any cake truly great. This is why I develop so many buttercream recipes, because they make such a huge difference, taking a frosted cake from ho-hum with store-bought to exceptional with homemade. Traditional cream cheese frosting is one of my all-time favorite toppings. Whether it’s the dead of winter or when the weather begins to warm, I often find myself craving lighter, brighter flavors that still have the creamy texture and richness I love. Enter Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting!
Lemons are a staple in Lebanese cuisine, used in everything from lentil soup to hummus. I almost always have a large bowl of lemons on my counter, and when I finally perfected my lemon cake, I knew the perfect finishing touch would be this vibrant cream cheese frosting with lemon.
Far better than anything store-bought, this lemon frosting has the perfect balance of tangy citrus and sweetness. It’s thick enough to spread on cake layers, pipe onto lemon cupcakes, or swirl onto vanilla cupcakes with a piping bag and piping tip. All you need is a stand mixer or hand mixer (or even a bowl and a heavy spoon with some muscle!) and a few minutes, and you’ll be on your way to a buttercream with fresh lemon flavor.
Ingredients and Notes
Please scroll down to the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and full instructions.
- Cream Cheese – For the best results, use room temp full-fat cream cheese in brick form rather than the spreadable kind. This helps prevent runny frosting and creates the rich texture of the frosting we want.
- Unsalted Butter – Butter adds richness and helps create structure, giving the frosting a smooth, creamy texture that spreads beautifully.
- Confectioners’ Sugar – Also known as powdered sugar, this melts into the frosting and sweetens it while maintaining the perfect consistency.
- Fresh Lemons – I use both fresh lemon juice and lemon zest for a bold, citrusy taste. Standard lemons are my favorite, but any variety, such as Meyer lemons, will work. If you want an extra pop of lemon, a small splash of lemon extract is a good idea. Some bakers also add a drop of vanilla extract for a slightly softer flavor.
Tip: Use room temperature ingredients. This is one of the biggest mistakes people make. Cold cream cheese or butter can create lumps and affect the texture of the frosting.
How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
This is truly the easiest way to make a silky cream cheese frosting at home.
- Beat the cream cheese. Add the softened cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat until smooth. You can also use an electric mixer or beat by hand, though this last method takes quite a bit of elbow grease.
- Combine ingredients. Add half of the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and zest, and beat again on low speed until smooth.
- Sweeten. Add the remaining sugar, and beat until the frosting is smooth and light.
Ways to Use
This frosting is incredibly versatile and pairs beautifully with many desserts.
Spread it over a sheet cake, pipe it onto lemon cupcakes, or layer it between the cake layers of your favorite layer cake. It’s especially delicious on carrot cake, where the tangy lemon flavor works so well with the tender, warm spice cake.
It’s also wonderful with:
- Vanilla cupcakes
- Coconut cake
- Strawberry cream cake
- Lemon cake with lemon curd filling
- Fluffy white cake
For a bakery-style finish, use an offset spatula for smooth swirls or decorate with a piping bag and your favorite piping tip.
How to Store
Store leftover frosting in an airtight container or sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Before using, allow the frosting to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes and rewhip briefly to restore its soft, creamy texture.
If the frosting ever becomes too thick, add a tiny splash of lemon juice for additional moisture. If it becomes too loose, beat in a bit more powdered sugar to bring it back to a stable frosting consistency. Alternatively, loose frosting will firm up in the refrigerator for 30 minutes; stir to smooth.
Buttercream frostings like this one freeze really well! This makes them easy to prepare in advance, so you always have some on hand. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then stir to smooth. You can also thaw buttercream in the microwave; just be sure to use a low heat setting and be sure not to overdo it. Otherwise, the frosting will melt.
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Zest and juice of one lemon
Instructions
- Beat the cream cheese and butter in the bowl a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using hand beaters, or by hand until smooth.
- Add half of the confectioners’ sugar, lemon zest and juice. Beat on low speed until smooth.
- Add the remaining confectioner’s sugar and beat until it is smooth and light, another 2 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
