Lemon Zest Whipped Cream Frosting
This light and fluffy lemon zest whipped cream frosting combines heavy whipping cream, whipped cream cheese, fresh lemon zest, vanilla, and powdered coconut sugar for the perfect balance of creamy sweetness and bright citrus flavor. It's sturdy enough to frost cakes and cupcakes while staying soft, airy, and delicious. Perfect for chocolate cake, lemon cake, fresh berries, and more.
Equipment
- 1 Hand mixer or kitchenaid
Ingredients
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 8 oz container whipped cream cheese
- 2 tbsp lemon zest zest from 2 medium lemons
- 1/2 cup powdered coconut suar you can alternatively use powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour the cold heavy whipping cream into a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the cream begins to thicken and reaches soft, billowy peaks.1 pint heavy whipping cream
- Add the fresh lemon zest, powdered coconut sugar, and vanilla extract to the whipped cream. Continue beating until the mixture reaches soft peaks and the ingredients are fully incorporated.2 tbsp lemon zest, 1/2 cup powdered coconut suar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the whipped cream cheese to the whipped cream mixture. Beat on medium speed until the frosting is smooth, fluffy, and reaches stiff peaks. This creates a stable, airy lemon whipped cream cheese frosting that's perfect for frosting cakes and cupcakes. I recommend taking your cream cheese out of the fridge 30 minutes before adding it the frosting so that it can start to come to room temperature. If you're using block cream cheese instead of whipped cream cheese, let it come to almost room temperature and beat it separately until smooth before adding it to the whipped cream. This helps prevent lumps and creates the creamiest whipped lemon cream cheese frosting.8 oz container whipped cream cheese
Notes
- To make powdered coconut sugar for this recipe simply add 1 cup of coconut sugar and 1 tbsp of arrowroot powder or tapioca powder to a high speed blender of food processor and blend until it is powder. Then make sure to use only 1/2 cup in the frosting.
- Zest only the yellow peel. Avoid the white pith, which can add bitterness.
- Stop at stiff peaks. Overwhipping can cause the frosting to become grainy or separate.
- Use whipped cream cheese. It blends more easily and creates an extra smooth frosting. If using block cream cheese, bring it to room temperature and then beat it until smooth before adding it to the whipped cream.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!