Lemon condensed milk frosting is the perfect combination of rich, fluffy and bright. It has a lovely lemon flavor without being too much and the sweetened condensed milk adds that little something special you can’t quite put your finger on!
The bright flavor of lemon mixed with the rich goodness of sweetened condensed milk. This frosting is one for the history books. It is super simple to put together and oh so delicious.
It is perfect on lemon velvet cake, white cakes, butter cakes, graham crackers, sugar cookies and more! Whip some up today and tell me what your favorite thing to spread it on is.
I’m sorry. I really am. I made this frosting and then held out on sharing the recipe until today. I was tempted to run to the computer and share it with you the moment I took the first lick of the spatula.
No, I’m not 10.
Yes, I still lick the spatula.
Well, I at least try to sneak a taste before Little Dude dives in to finish it off!
I’m also a little sorry (not sorry!) for being a bit of a broken record and sharing so many sweetened condensed milk frosting recipes. Maybe it’s a summer fling and I’ll move on once school is back in session, but don’t count on it!
While the cooked versions I have been sharing this summer have been delicious, I wanted something fluffier for my lemon frosting. After all, it was my longing for lemon frosting that drove me to make the lemon velvet cake, so the frosting had to be just right.
So I went back to my first attempt at sweetened condensed milk frosting and tweaked the sweetened condensed milk buttercream. I knew it would give me that perfect balance of fluffy and rich and the lemon was so great in it. It was definitely love at first lick!
Don’t worry if you’ve been loving the cooked versions though. I already have big plans using the creamy caramel sweetened condensed milk frosting this fall and the fudgy sweetened condensed milk icing is so easy that it is sure to reappear next time the chocolate cravings hit!
In the meantime, let’s soak up these last little bits of summer and enjoy this fresh citrus pop of flavor. There will be plenty of time to drool over chocolate and caramel later
Tips, Tricks and FAQs
Does this buttercream set well or form a crust?
The powdered sugar in this recipe helps the frosting to form a light crust. To set it faster or harder, chill it for a bit.
Is this frosting yellow?
The recipe on it’s own will be a very pale yellow from the butter and lemon zest. For a more vibrant lemony yellow, add a drop or two of yellow food coloring gel.
Start slow and add until you get just enough. The color will deepen slightly as it sits.
What should I do with the rest of the sweetened condensed milk?
They now have squeeze bottles of sweetened condensed milk, making it easier to use just a bit. If you have to open and can and you’re not sure how to use the rest, the leftovers make an out of this world coffee creamer. Otherwise you can always make more frosting!
Can I make this frosting less sweet?
If you normally find buttercream too sweet, you can play with adding a bit more lemon juice to tame it a bit. Add about a teaspoon more lemon juice and reduce the sweetened condensed milk but a Tablespoon. Adjust until you get your desired flavor and consistency.
How do I store buttercream frosting?
You can store leftover buttercream in the refrigerator for a week or two. Or put it in the freezer for up to three months. Just bring it back to room temperature and mix well before using.
If you were looking for a lemon frosting recipe that uses sweetened condensed milk, but no powdered sugar, you are in luck! My lemonade Russian buttercream is just the thing for you!
If you are a frosting fanatic like me, check out my Frosting 101. It goes through the different types of frosting and links to all sorts of delicious recipes!
Lemon Sweetened Condensed Milk Buttercream
This frosting is the perfect combination of rich, fluffy and bright. It has a lovely lemon flavor without being too much and the sweetened condensed milk adds that little something special you can't quite put your finger on!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 4-5 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- optional: finely grated zest of a lemon
Instructions
- Beat butter until light and creamy.
- Slowly add powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon extract until combined.
- Add sweetened condensed milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Adjust with a bit more sweetened condensed milk or powdered sugar until you have your desired thickness.
- Stir in fresh lemon zest and frost cooled cake.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 20gProtein: 0g
All nutritional information is estimated and will depend on the exact ingredients you use.
Karen @karenskitchenstories
Friday 28th of April 2023
I seriously need to make this. I've never tried frosting with that liquid gold!
Carlee
Friday 28th of April 2023
A little liquid gold makes everything better!
Cat
Thursday 30th of March 2023
Did I miss how much this yields / what size cake does this frost? I'm a lover of sweetened condensed milk... so this caught my eye right away.
Carlee
Friday 31st of March 2023
I need to make it again and measure it out in cups. I always get in too big of a hurry to do that. It is enough to frost a standard 8 or 9-inch two layer cake or 24 cupcakes.
Rose Mary Alvarez
Sunday 10th of July 2022
Lemon frosting is so delicious I would love to say Thank you for putting down your recipe maybe next time you can do a video on it, But one thing you forgot to write down is how much Lemon Zest to add in the mixes. Thanks🎂🍰❤💯
Carlee
Sunday 10th of July 2022
You can add as much or little zest as you would like, depending on how strong you like the lemon flavor.
Jill (Gillian)
Thursday 26th of May 2022
Hi, please could you tell me, is the powdered sugar the same as what we in England call Icing Sugar? I think it probably is but I've seen some US frosting recipes that use a different kind of sugar or ingredient but I'm not sure. It's been some time so my memory is a bit hazy but I think that the other sugar/ingredient gives the frosting a bit of a crust. I'm wondering if that kind might make the frosting better for piping things like flowers, etc.
Carlee
Thursday 26th of May 2022
Yes, powdered sugar and icing sugar are the same thing. There is just a bit of cornstarch in it to keep it from caking and it also helps it to form a light crust. It makes it perfect for piping flowers because you can easily adjust the consistency and it holds its shape well.
Christi
Thursday 14th of April 2022
Do you think this frosting will pipe and be ok for making flower petals?
Carlee
Thursday 14th of April 2022
Yes, it works just like a regular American buttercream so it should be perfect for piping flowers.