LEMON KISSED CUPCAKES {LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING RECIPE}

I have so many cakes and ideas and recipes to share over the next few weeks … I had a hard time deciding where to start.

But it’s almost Easter. It’s Spring. And lemon flavors just seem right for Spring. Oh. And I have an obsession with lemon.

Besides, yesterday I shared the Messy Buttercream Ruffles cake (thanks for your sweet comments), so today I thought I’d share cupcakes with a frosting recipe… and tomorrow (or maybe later today if I can’t stand to wait) later today… another cake!

The cake is my often-used vanilla cake recipe… nothing too extraordinary there but it works for me (and it’s really good cake). PS. Do you see the lemon curd peeking out from under the frosting? I might have overfilled that one! Oops!!

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks of real (salted) butter, at room temperature
4 ounces of shortening
4 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla extract
8-9 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2-3 Tablespoons milk

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, shortening, and cream cheese until very smooth. Add in the vanilla and mix again.
Begin adding powdered sugar, one cup at a time up to 8 cups.
Your frosting will be very stiff at this point – now add in the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of milk.
Mix and check the consistency.
From here, I had to add a little more powdered sugar (it was too soft) but then I went too far, so I added a little more milk. Just play with it until you get a consistency you’re happy with! I made mine on the softer side so it was silky smooth … but still able to hold it’s shape!