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!
This yummy buttercream features the fabulous lemon tang mixed with the rich goodness of sweetened condensed milk. 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.
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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!
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.
Use The Rest Of The Condensed Milk
They now have squeeze bottles of sweetened condensed milk, making it easier to use just a bit. If you opened can and you’re not sure how to use the rest, the leftovers make an out of this world coffee creamer. Check out my collection of condensed milk recipes for more ideas. There are all kinds of desserts you can make with the rest of the milk, but there is also a pasta salad and a coleslaw recipe if you want to make a side dish instead of a dessert.
Too Sweet? Add More Lemon!
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.
Lemon Sweetened Condensed Milk Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 4-5 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- finely grated zest of a lemon optional
Instructions
- Beat 1 cup butter until light and creamy.
- Slowly mix in the 4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon extract, and 1-2 Tablespoons lemon juice until combined.
- Add 4-5 Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- Adjust with a bit more sweetened condensed milk or lemon juice to loosen it up or powdered sugar if it needs to be stiffer.
- Stir in finely grated zest of a lemon if desired. Use to frost cooled cake.
Notes
- 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.
- The recipe on its 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.
Video
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Will this work with Coconut condensed milk & lime?
I don’t see why not. That sounds delicious! If you make it, please let me know how it goes.
I need a frosting to use between biscuit/cookie layers. I think this would be most suitable trying to copy the bought Lemon Cream biscuits/cookies. I am sure this recipe will work and save me lots so I can home bake. The biscuit doug is getting thinner every time I buy and I have had enough of their nonsense. Thank you for sharing I am sure it will be delicious.
I hope you enjoy it!
Am making cupcakes for baby shower. Could I frost the day before and then refrigerate until next day. Will the frosting weep?
Thanks-1
You can definitely refrigerate them overnight, or even keep them at room temperature as long as your house is cool. This frosting is pretty sturdy and will form a light crust as it sits out. The frosting won’t weep. However, if they go straight from the fridge to a humid location they may get condensation.
I seriously need to make this. I’ve never tried frosting with that liquid gold!
A little liquid gold makes everything better!
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.
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.
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🎂🍰❤💯
You can add as much or little zest as you would like, depending on how strong you like the lemon flavor.
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.
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.
Do you think this frosting will pipe and be ok for making flower petals?
Yes, it works just like a regular American buttercream so it should be perfect for piping flowers.
I’m excited to try this out💜 I am a home Baker and have been looking for a decent recipe I can interchange…..so I can change the extracts and what not….I’m considering using this with my chocolate caramel cupcakes in caramel flavor and making them Snickers Cupcakes💜
Thank you for sharing
I hope you enjoy it! I do have an easy caramel buttercream on the site too if you want to check it out. 😉
@Carlee, did you say Carmel butter cream could you send it to me please thank you
Sure thing! We love this recipe for easy caramel buttercream as well.
I would like to make the lemon sweetened condensed milk buttercream, but I was hoping you could tell me if I can substitute 1 tsp orange extract for the lemon extract and 1 tbsp orange juice for the lemon juice? I need to know, because I am making an orange cake and would love to have an orange buttercream. Thank ou.
That sounds amazing! I can’t see why that wouldn’t work. We love orange desserts, so now I am tempted to give that a go too.