Vanilla Peanut Butter Lemon Buttercream

Sep 5, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Frostings fillings toppings Origin: Tahitian Vanilla: Extract Easy

Cupcakes piped with vanilla peanut butter lemon buttercream

This peanut butter frosting 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

¾ cup (170.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
3.0 cups (340.0 g)confectioners' sugar
2.0 tbsp (30.0 ml)heavy cream
¼ tsp (1.5 g)fine sea salt
2 ¼ tsp (11.25 ml)VanillaGoods vanilla extract
¾ cup (195.0 g)conventional creamy peanut butter

Flavor Accent

2.0 tsp (4.0 g)finely grated lemon zest

Make it at home

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Instructions

Beat the softened butter and peanut butter on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth, creamy, and slightly lighter. The mixture should look fully emulsified with no oily streaks.
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, salt, and 1 tablespoon 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 and hold soft ridges from the beater.
Beat in the remaining cream only if needed, adding it 1 teaspoon at a time until the frosting reaches the consistency you want. Stop when the frosting is smooth and creamy but still holds a clean peak for piping.

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 peanut butter 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.

This peanut butter frosting 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.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

159 Calories / serving

10.2g Fat

15.9g Carbs

2.1g Protein

14.7g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~3816 cal · 245g fat · 382g carbs · 50g protein · 353g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 159 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 30 min·1.8 mi·~3500 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 22 min·1.1 mi·~2200 steps
Moderate cycling 16 min·3.2 mi
Swimming laps 22 min
Jogging 16 min·1.3 mi·~2550 steps
Stair climbing 15 min·~1350 steps
Dancing 26 min
Bodyweight circuit training 16 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 37 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.