Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

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Lemon cream cheese frosting is a velvety blend of cream cheese, butter, and zesty lemon that brings a tangy and indulgent twist to your desserts.

Prep Time10

Chill Time30

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Servings: cups

Calories: 1058kcal

Cream together in a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, the cream cheese, unsalted butter, and lemon zest for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy with no lumps remaining.
Add the vanilla extract and salt, mixing just until fully incorporated. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
With the mixer on low, slowly add the sifted powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until all the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.
Add the lemon juice and mix just until incorporated, then increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Cover and chill for 30 minutes to firm up slightly before transferring to a large piping bag fitted with a piping tip to frost decorative swirls onto cupcakes or spread with an offset spatula to frost a 9x13 sheet cake or 8-inch 2-layer cake. A slightly longer chill time may be needed to achieve the desired stiffness when piping or frosting.

This frosting can be used immediately, without chilling, but it will yield a softer texture that may not hold its shape as well when piped onto cupcakes.
When softening your butter and cream cheese to room temperature, be sure that they are not too soft or your frosting may require a longer chill time to firm up to a spreadable or pipeable consistency. The butter should be soft enough to leave a fingerprint when gently pressed but not so soft that you can easily push your finger all the way through. The same goes for the cream cheese softness.
Before zesting and juicing your lemons, be sure to wash off the waxy coating that is typically added for shipping and storage.
This recipe can easily be scaled up to 1.5x for frosting 24 cupcakes with generously piped swirls or to generously frost an 8 or 9-inch 2-layer cake.
- 12-ounce block-style cream cheese
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 6 ½ to 7 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2¼ tablespoons fresh lemon juice

You can add an extra 1-2 teaspoons of fresh juice to increase the lemon flavor. The more lemon juice that is added, the longer you will need to chill the frosting for a stiffer consistency.
For a stronger lemon flavor, you can add up to 1 teaspoon lemon extract to the frosting when adding the vanilla extract. Be sure to use a high quality extract for the most natural lemon flavor. Cheaper quality brands can tend to taste a bit bitter or unnatural compared to using real lemon juice.