This buttercream is smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe. Lemon adds flavor and texture. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.
Vanilla Lime Lemon Buttercream
Baking
Frostings fillings toppings
Origin: Tahitian
Vanilla: Extract
Easy
This buttercream is smooth, fluffy, and easy to spread or pipe. Lemon adds flavor and texture. Best with Tahitian vanilla (floral, cherry, anise); any pure vanilla works.
Prep
15 min
Cook
—
Total
15 min
Servings
24
Diet
—
Ingredients
Adjust yield
servings
Validated ingredient scaling range: 1.5–9 cups. Cooking time and doneness cues remain authoritative; scale ingredients only within this range.
- 1.0 cup (227.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups (400.0 g)confectioners' sugar
- 3.0 tbsp (45.0 ml)heavy cream
- ¼ tsp (1.5 g)fine sea salt
- 1 ½ tsp (7.5 ml)VanillaGoods vanilla extract
- 2.0 tsp (4.0 g)finely grated lime zest
Flavor Accent
- 2.0 tsp (4.0 g)finely grated lemon zest
Make it at home
- Must-have Piping Bags & Tips Set Fill and pipe neatly, no ziplock-bag mess. View on Amazon › (opens in a new tab)
- Makes it easier OXO Bent Icing Spatula Smooth, even frosting and filling with a flick of the wrist. View on Amazon › (opens in a new tab)
- Worth the upgrade KitchenAid Artisan 5-Qt Stand Mixer Does the beating and kneading for you, hands-free. View on Amazon › (opens in a new tab)
As an Amazon Associate, VanillaGoods earns from qualifying purchases. We only suggest tools that fit this recipe.
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and slightly lighter in color.
- Add the confectioners' sugar in three additions on low speed, mixing each addition in before adding the next. Start slowly so the sugar stays in the bowl.
- Add the vanilla, lime zest, salt, and 2 tablespoons of the cream. Beat on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the finely grated lemon zest until evenly dispersed. The buttercream should look smooth and fluffy, not grainy.
- Beat in the remaining cream only if needed to reach a spreadable consistency. For piping, keep the buttercream slightly firmer than you would for spreading.
Tips
- Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.
- Best vanilla for this: Tahitian (floral, cherry, anise), or Madagascar (rich, creamy, classic). Any pure vanilla works.
Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make vanilla lime lemon buttercream?
Plan on 15 minutes of prep. It makes 3 cups.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
Vanilla bean paste swaps 1:1 for the extract and adds visible vanilla seeds; for a whole bean, use the seeds of 1 bean in place of 2 teaspoons of extract.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.
140
Calories / serving
8.3g
Fat
16.8g
Carbs
0.1g
Protein
16.4g
Sugar
Whole recipe (24 servings): ~3360 cal · 199g fat · 403g carbs · 2g protein · 394g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
Per serving · 140 calories
What it takes to burn one serving
- Brisk walking 26 min·1.5 mi·~3050 steps
- Walking uphill or incline treadmill 19 min·1.0 mi·~1900 steps
- Moderate cycling 14 min·2.8 mi
- Swimming laps 20 min
- Jogging 14 min·1.2 mi·~2250 steps
- Stair climbing 13 min·~1150 steps
- Dancing 23 min
- Bodyweight circuit training 14 min
- Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 33 min
Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.
Made with VanillaGoods
Recipe Rating
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