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The right mixture of candy and tangy, this lemon buttercream frosting is scrumptious on prime of desserts and cupcakes or when used as a filling.
One in all my hottest recipes right here on MBA is my home made buttercream frosting. And I get why! It’s scrumptious, has a phenomenal texture, and is really easy to make.
That traditional recipe has served as a base for a number of different frosting recipes round right here: strawberry frosting, brown butter frosting, and chocolate buttercream.
Since spring is simply across the nook, it appeared like a great time to work on a vibrant, citrusy model for you. This lemon buttercream frosting simply screams spring to me, and I can’t cease picturing it on a phenomenal layer cake as the middle of an Easter unfold.
One of the best lemon buttercream frosting
When you’re a giant fan of lemon, you’re gonna be a giant fan of this lemon buttercream recipe.
This frosting has all the creamy, fluffy texture of my traditional buttercream frosting, however with the added brightness from lemon zest and lemon juice.
In actual fact, if American buttercream frosting is commonly too candy for you, this can be the proper compromise. The tart lemon taste actually helps to stability out the sweetness, making for a frosting that isn’t too candy and never too tart.
Whether or not you’re utilizing it on prime of desserts and cupcakes or as a filling for cookie sandwiches, this lemon buttercream is a recipe you’re going to wish to make time and again.
The right way to make my lemon buttercream
When you’ve by no means made home made frosting earlier than, you’ll be stunned at how straightforward it’s. And it’s soooo a lot better than the canned stuff you purchase on the retailer. You’ll by no means return after getting the true factor!
Substances you’ll want
To make my lemon buttercream frosting, you will want:
- 1 1/2 cups softened unsalted butter
- 24 ounces confectioner’s sugar, sifted
- Pinch of tremendous grain salt
- 2 tablespoons recent lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1-3 tablespoons chilly milk
For the smoothest, creamiest buttercream, it’s good to begin with room-temperature butter. When you neglect to set your butter out forward of time, try my ideas for learn how to soften butter rapidly.
Powdered sugar is the opposite key ingredient in frostings similar to buttercream or cream cheese frosting. In case you are out of powdered sugar, make a easy powdered sugar substitute to make use of as an alternative.
Ensure you use recent lemon juice on this recipe. It’ll style a lot better than the bottled stuff. You will want 1 massive lemon to get the zest and juice required for this frosting.
Making lemon frosting
Utilizing a mixer, begin by beating the butter on medium-high pace for 6-7 minutes.
Recipe Tip
To get the most effective texture in your frosting, take the time to whip the butter totally earlier than you add the opposite substances. Don’t attempt to skimp on the blending time!
As soon as the butter is properly crushed, flip the mixer to low and slowly add the salt and powdered sugar.
As soon as the sugar is absolutely included, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and milk till properly combined.
Now flip the mixer again as much as medium-high pace and proceed mixing for an additional 6-7 minutes. This may enable you get that fluffy consistency all of us love in a great frosting.
In case your lemon buttercream is a bit too thick, add in extra milk a splash at a time till you attain your required consistency.
Utilizing this frosting
The obvious approach to make use of lemon buttercream frosting is on a cake or cupcakes. For a double dose of lemon, strive it on lemon cake or lemon cupcakes.
You might additionally pair the lemon with different cake flavors, similar to vanilla cupcakes, strawberry cupcakes, or coconut cake.
You may as well use it as a filling for cupcakes along with or as an alternative of utilizing it to prime the cupcakes. When you’ve by no means crammed cupcakes earlier than, try my submit on learn how to fill cupcakes.
Don’t restrict your self to desserts! It’s an incredible topping for sugar cookie bars and even bitter cream cookies.
I even like it as a filling for cookie sandwiches! Strive it with lemon poppy seed cookies, vanilla bean lemon sugar cookies, or straightforward sugar cookies.
Make-ahead and storage ideas
Lemon buttercream frosting could be made just a few days forward of time and piped or unfold onto desserts or cupcakes everytime you’re able to serve them.
Cowl and refrigerate the frosting in an hermetic container for as much as three days. Once you’re prepared to make use of it, merely deliver it to room temperature. Beat it for about 5 minutes with a mixer or till easy.
You could want so as to add a splash of cream or milk to revive the consistency earlier than utilizing it.
Freezing lemon frosting
Further lemon frosting will also be frozen for longer-term storage.
Place the frosting in a freezer-safe hermetic container. Typically I may also place a layer of plastic wrap on the highest of the buttercream for further safety. Freeze for as much as a month.
Let the frosting thaw within the fridge in a single day. Earlier than utilizing, let it come to room temperature and beat it along with your mixer for about 5 minutes or till good and easy. Add a splash of milk or cream if wanted.
Continuously requested questions
In case you are a fan of shortening in your buttercream frostings, merely substitute 1/2 cup of the butter with 1/2 cup shortening.
As soon as piped or unfold onto your cake, cupcakes, or cookies, this lemon buttercream will crust up. If you wish to add sprinkles or different decorations, ensure that to do this proper after piping it on, earlier than it has an opportunity to kind a crust.
Despite the fact that it crusts up, it gained’t fully harden. Watch out if storing or transporting baked items embellished with this frosting so that you simply don’t smash your lovely adorning work.
Lemon buttercream frosting holds up nice at room temperature. However it’s going to positively begin to droop or soften if it will get too scorching.
When you’re taking desserts or cupcakes embellished with this frosting to an occasion with out air-con or the place it’ll be within the solar (similar to a summer time cookout), I counsel protecting the dessert chilled till able to serve.
Sure, this buttercream holds up very well as a thick coating on desserts or for piping decorations. You may as well modify the thickness of the frosting by including much less or extra milk to fit your adorning wants.
When you solely have salted butter readily available, omit the salt within the recipe.
This frosting has a naturally yellow tint to it from the lemon zest, however is not going to be vibrant yellow by itself. When you want a brighter shade, add 1 or 2 drops of yellow meals coloring together with the milk. I like to recommend beginning with 1 drop and including extra as wanted.
This recipe makes sufficient lemon buttercream to prime 24 cupcakes, one 8-inch or 9-inch layer cake, or one sheet cake.
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high pace for 6-7 minutes.
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With the mixer on low pace, slowly add within the salt and powdered sugar, and proceed beating till the sugar is absolutely included.
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Add in lemon juice, lemon zest, and milk, and blend on low pace till included.
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Flip the mixer again as much as medium-high pace and beat the frosting for an extra 6-7 minutes.
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If the frosting is simply too thick, add in a little bit of milk, one teaspoon at a time till you attain the specified consistency.
- You may simply modify the consistency of this recipe by merely including in additional milk a splash at a time.
- In case you are a fan of shortening in your buttercream, merely omit one stick (1/2 cup) of butter and substitute with 1/2 cup shortening.
- Lined and refrigerated frosting could be saved for as much as three days. Merely deliver it to room temperature and beat with an electrical mixer till easy. You could want so as to add a few teaspoons of heavy cream or milk to revive the consistency. Frosting will also be frozen for as much as a month.
- When you garnish with sprinkles, ensure you do that instantly after you frost your baked items. As soon as the highest layer of the buttercream crusts, nothing will stick.
- Be taught learn how to make powdered sugar for these occasions when you’ve got run out however nonetheless need frosting!
Energy: 102kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 0.1g, Fats: 12g, Saturated Fats: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fats: 3g, Trans Fats: 0.5g, Ldl cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 2mg, Potassium: 6mg, Fiber: 0.004g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 356IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 4mg, Iron: 0.004mg
Diet data is robotically calculated, so ought to solely be used as an approximation.
