Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Brighten up all kinds of desserts with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting featured image front shot

Hello Sunshine! With its lovely yellow color and citrusy sweetness, Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting is a taste of summer, though you should use it all year round. The lemony taste comes from a combination of the fruit’s juice and zest that when blended into the butter and cream cheese and powdered sugar mix will produce a fluffy frosting that spreads like a dream.

The first time I made Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, I used it on Lemonade Cake and my family was in lemon heaven–the frosting was just so sweet and tart and tangy. We all loved it so much that often when I think about what to make for dessert, I find myself wondering “what can I bake that will go with that Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting…?).

It really does taste like summer–bright and light with the perfect balance of sugar and citrus–even on desserts with more of a fall or winter vibe like Lemon Rosemary Cake. And you’ll love its fluffy texture, perfect for filling and frosting layer cakes or topping cupcakes with a swirly swirl. One of my favorite combos is lemon and blueberries, so I use this frosting to top Lemon Blueberry Tea Cake and serve it as a spread for Blueberry Lemon Scones.

Have you ever heard of the Meyer Lemon? Named for Frank Meyer, who brought this fruit to the States from China, the Meyer Lemon is smaller and sweeter than regular lemons with a thinner skin and a darker pulp. Meyer lemons taste like a combination of lemon and mandarin orange so if you can find them (usually only between December and May), try using them in Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting to bring an even deeper flavor.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
8 oz. cream cheese softened
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon lemon zest from the same lemon you juiced
4 to 5 cups powdered sugar sifted

How to Make Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1: Start by zesting and juicing your lemon.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Step 3: Gradually mix in the fresh lemon juice and zest. Keep mixing until it becomes smooth.

Step 4: Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low speed to incorporate. Once all the sugar is added, increase the speed to high and whip until fluffy.

Step 5: For best results, chill the frosting for about an hour before using it to pipe or spread.

Top Tips For a Perfect Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Pucker up! If you like a stronger lemon punch, add a bit more lemon juice and/or zest. You can even add a few drops of lemon extract.
For maximum spreadability, make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened before mixing.
Duck if you don’t want to be covered with powdered sugar, as it tends to fly out of the bowl when you first add it. Or just put a dish towel over the bowl until the sugar is incorporated.
Bittersweet is a great taste for chocolate, but not so much for Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting so only use the outer yellow skin for zest; just beneath that is the white pith, which can be pretty bitter.

FAQs

What’s the difference between frosting and icing?

Good question, since both can be used to top cakes. But frosting is more sturdy and more fluffy, whereas icing tends to be thinner and often shinier and is often used more as a glaze.

What do I do if my frosting curdles?

It can be pretty scary when you look into your mixing bowl and see curdles! But just keep beating the mixture and it will be smooth and lovely in no time.

What if the frosting is too thick or too thin?

Too thick? Beat in a splash of milk. Too thin? Add more sugar until you get the consistency you want.

Serving Suggestions

There are so many ways to use Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, including the pairing with blueberries that I’ve already mentioned but ALL berries go perfectly with lemon. Try it on Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes or White Chocolate Strawberry Cake. Use it to top Cinnamon Rolls, or as a schmear on bagels (after all, it is cream cheese based!) Another perfect pairing is pound cake, especially if you slice the cake into 2-3 layers, spread Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting between the layers, and then top it with another thin layer and garnish of your choice–more zest, a smattering of mixed berries, even white chocolate chips! As a lover of lemon, I’ve even used it to top Easy Lemon Bars because as far as I’m concerned, there is no such thing as too much lemon!

How to Store Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

You can make this frosting ahead of time and leave it out for 1-2 hours but after that, it will need to go into the refrigerator because of the cream cheese. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator up until the cream cheese expiration date that you’ll see on the packaging. You can also freeze Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, tightly covered in plastic wrap, for up to 4 months (thaw overnight in the refrigerator and stir well before using).