My Lemon Frosting gets its bright, fruity flavor from real lemon curd! It’s got a silky smooth texture and pipes beautifully, making it the perfect choice for topping both cakes and cupcakes. Recipe includes a how-to video!
The Best Lemon Frosting Recipe
This brilliantly flavored lemon frosting strikes the perfect balance between tart and sweet. With it’s pale yellow hue and bright, citrusy flavor, this frosting is a perfect choice for topping spring cakes and cupcakes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Unlike most lemon frostings that manage a shallow lemon flavor from lemon juice, lemon zest, or even lemon extract, this recipe has a robust flavor from a simple small-batch homemade lemon curd.
- It spreads and pipes beautifully, much like my classic buttercream frosting.
- Pairs perfectly with just about any springtime recipe, but especially my lemon blueberry cake!
To make sure the added step of cooking a curd was really worth the effort (a little time on the stovetop has certainly proven worth it for my German buttercream and ermine frosting!), I asked half a dozen of my family members do a blind taste test. When compared to a frosting made with lemon juice and zest, every single person overwhelmingly preferred this version, so I definitely think it’s worth the extra effort!
Let’s see if you agree 😊
What You Need
You only need a handful of ingredients for the most flavorful lemon frosting:
- Egg yolks. We’ll use these for our lemon curd. Don’t worry–they’ll be thoroughly cooked and safe to eat!
- Lemon juice. Fresh squeezed lemon juice is best for the most flavorful lemon frosting.
- Sugar. Compared to my classic lemon curd, you’ll notice that today’s recipe has a lesser amount of granulated sugar. This is intentional, since we’ll need to use powdered sugar later on and we don’t want our frosting to be overwhelmingly sweet.
- Unsalted butter. Use unsalted butter so we can control the amount of salt in our frosting.
SAM’S TIP: Do not add vanilla extract! It may seem odd to have a frosting recipe without any vanilla extract (even my chocolate frosting has a splash!), but I found that even the tiniest amount of vanilla completely dominated the lemon flavor in this frosting. It’s intentionally missing from this ingredient list, so leave it out!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Lemon Frosting
- Combine the lemon curd ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens.
- Pour the curd through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl and allow it to cool completely.
- Beat the butter until it is light and fluffy, then gradually add your powdered sugar until it is fully incorporated.
- Add the cooled lemon curd and mix until everything is completely combined. Use as desired!
SAM’S TIP: The curd must be cooled completely before adding it to the butter, or it could melt everything. Nobody wants to deal with that mess!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you could technically use a store bought lemon curd (about ⅓-½ cup), but the flavor may not be as pure and the frosting may end up sweeter.
This frosting is great on pretty much any cake or cupcake. I’d suggest you try it with my vanilla cake, white cake, strawberry cake, or if you’re crazy for lemon, my lemon cake!
If made in advance, yes, it needs to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep this way for 2-3 days and will need to thaw to room temperature before you can spread or pipe it.
Once the frosting is on your cake/cupcake, it can sit at room temperature for several hours, but for best results, I recommend keeping it refrigerated.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Lemon Frosting
Ingredients
For Lemon Curd
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) lemon juice fresh-squeezed preferred
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 4 Tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter cut into pieces
For Frosting
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- In a small, non-reactive saucepan (see note), whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, sugar, and salt.2 large egg yolks, ⅓ cup (80 ml) lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon table salt
- Add butter and cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened (the whisk should leave trails through the curd and it should be able to coat the back of a spoon, see video or photos in post for visual if desired).4 Tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter
- Remove from heat and pour through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl. Allow to cool completely before proceeding (you can transfer to the refrigerator to cool faster).
- Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat 1 cup softened butter until light and fluffy (high speed about 30-60 seconds). Gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- Drizzle in cooled lemon curd and stir until completely combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure ingredients are well-combined. Note: if frosting is too thin you can add additional powdered sugar, up to 1 cup/125g.
- Spread or pipe over cake or cupcakes.
Notes
Saucepan
You must use a non-reactive pan when making lemon curd. Acceptable materials include stainless steel, glass, enameled cast iron. Avoid using aluminum, copper, or iron (such as non-enameled cast iron) pans, which can react with the lemon and cause a metallic taste.Storing/Making in Advance
The lemon curd can be made up to a day in advance, simply store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use (you do not need to return to room temperature before using). The assembled frosting may be prepared and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days before using, you will need to let the frosting return to near room temperature and stir until smooth before using. Once used to decorate a cake/cupcake, the frosting may sit at room temperature for several hours but for best results I recommend refrigerating.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Larisha
Can I add cream cheese to this frosting to make it a cheese cheese lemon frosting and if so what are your suggestions when adding the cream cheese in?
Sam
Hi Larisha! You can add 4 oz of cream cheese in with the butter. 🙂
Sarah
Hi! I made your full batch of lemon curd to go with the lemon cake. How much of the lemon curd should I use in the frosting since I didn’t make it with the lessened amount listed for this frosting? Thanks!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Sarah! You can use about ⅓-½ cup. Hope that helps 😊
RedBlueSpice
The frosting of my dreams!! It has a nice lemon punch to it, but not so much you pucker. It’s perfect!! You made my birthday cake dreams come true! Ha ha! The search for the perfect lemon frosting is over! Well done!🙌
Linda
I loved the lemon custard frosting on the blueberry cake. I would like some light crunchies on the frosting. Any suggestions. I considered baking a little extra of the cake and then cooking it till crunchy and broken into tiny pieces in an iron skillet in a little butter.I don’t want it to be brown, just crisp and small.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Linda! What about crushing some golden (or lemon!) Oreos, tossing with butter, and toasting in the oven? That might work like you’re hoping.
SK
Could this lemon curd be added to your ermine frosting instead to get a less sweet frosting? Thanks!
Sam
I think you could probably get away with adding a little bit of curd in to the ermine frosting, but honestly I don’t know how much you could do and I can’t say for sure how it would turn out.
Elena
I want to use your lemon curd recipe for the filling. Can I just made more and use that lemon curd in this frosting recipe or do I need to make a separate batch?
Sam
Hi Elena! You can just increase the recipe and do it all in one batch. 🙂
Elena
Thanks, I’ll use your standard lemon curd recipe for the filling and frosting…making my birthday cake!
Patti
I made this today to frost a triple berry compote filled white cake. OMG was this good! Best frosting ever!! Thank you!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Wow, that sounds absolutely divine, Patti! Thanks so much for letting us know how it turned out for you 😊
Kara
Hi! I am very intrigued by your lemon blueberry cake and this lemon frosting with lemon curd. However, you do not say how to adjust it for a three layer, 8″ cake, which your lemon blueberry cake is. Can you advise please?
Sam
Hi Kara! The lemon blueberry cake will fit in 8 inch pans, your cake will just be a little bit thicker and may need a few extra seconds in the oven. 🙂
ERIKA
GRACIAS !!
Kristin
Hi! This recipe looks delicious. I was wondering once the curd is made, how much do you have? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Kristin! Unfortunately I haven’t actually measure it to know for sure how much it makes.
Hope Walker
I made the lemon blueberry cake that this goes with for this past Easter and it was enough to frost 3 layers. Hands down one of the best frosting I have had and well worth the time!
Annie
THIS FROSTING!!!!!!! I’ve never made a curd before but instructions were simple to follow. I used only 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar (Every batch of frosting I’ve ever made has had a wildly different amount of sugar lol) and this frosting was the most delicious frosting I’ve ever made. I put it on your lemon blueberry cake! Im thinking of also trying to adapt the frosting and cake recipe to try it as cranberry orange (I have no idea if this will work)
Koressa
Okay so I tried this frosting and I would 10/10 recommended. I tried it on the blueberry lemon cake you suggested, but instead I made cupcakes. My question is how long should this frosting las as is on cupcakes? Will it hold?
Sam
Hi Koressa! This is a stable frosting so will hold up. I honestly think it would end up outlasting the cupcakes. 🙂
Gina
Hi! I made this frosting tonight along with the blueberry lemon cake. Followed recipes as written. For the frosting, it has created a really strong “cheese” smell. It doesn’t taste like cheese, but smells like it. I am hoping after a night of chilling in fridge the smell will dissipate. Any thoughts on this? Thank you!
Sam
Hi Gina! That is a very odd smell to come from this frosting and honestly I’m not really sure how it would have that smell. I hope it worked out for you. 🙂
Linda
This recipe for blueberry lemon cake caught my eye. I want to start that I have always been a cook but not really a baker. With that in mind I have decided to jump right in and bake this amazing cake for our
Easter desert. Keep fingers crossed, lol I’ll keep you posted..
Sam
I hope you love it, Linda! Good luck! 🙂
Omi
I am making for easter as well. Careful with the lemon curd!! Mine turned out suuuuper metallic. I googled and it said it could be from the metal and lemon having a reaction?? Idk but it was gross. Currently 2am. Going go retry in the morning.
Sam
O no! I’m so sorry this happened. I would try using a different pan next time as it could be your pan, or if you store it in a metal container, like aluminum, this could also cause the issue. 🙁
Liz
Happened to me once. I was bamboozled since I was using a stainless steel pot. Turned out to be my whisk. The stainless coating had eroded where the wires meet and the lemon juice just went to town on it.
Ursula
I love your personality in the videos. Will bake the blueberry lemon cake for Easter and use the recipe for your lemon curd frosting.
Sam
Thank you so much, Ursula! 🙂
Kim
Will one batch of lemon frosting cover your blueberry lemon cake or will it take two?
Sam
Hi Kim! This makes enough to cover a 2 layer 8 inch cake. 🙂
Jayne
Love this frosting, tried it today, beautiful. I have a question, lime is my absolute favourite citrus flavour, cam I swap the lemon for lime and keep everything else the same? Thank you.
Sam
Hi Jayne! That should work just fine here. 🙂
Judith
Thanks-I was dubious as to the success of the lemon curd, but it worked exactly as you said it would. It pipes nicely! I halved the recipe for 6 piped raspberry/lemon cupcakes, and had just about 1/4 cup leftover for pancakes 🙂 thank you again for a perfect recipe.
Becky
Hello Sam!
I’m so excited to make this frosting. I noticed that in the original lemon curd recipe there is lemon zest added but in this one it is not. Is it because it would leave bits in the frosting?
Thank you for all your recipes!!!
Sam
Hi Becky! It probably would leave some bits in the frosting, but it wouldn’t be a big deal. I simply didn’t add it here because I didn’t think it was necessary. You can add it if you’d like. 🙂