You can learn how to make key lime buttercream frosting within a few moments. The taste is out of this world. A “green lemon” is what some say the taste of a lime is like. I was in my late teens in college the first time I had anything lime other than terrible jello. If you are judging the taste of lime from a box of jello, stop. It’s actually much, much more pleasurable. It’s a tart yet bitter flavor like a lemon but more earthy. When it is balanced with sweetness, it becomes magical.

If you love key lime pie, you need to stop what you are doing and go out and buy a key lime right now. You’ll want to make this fabulous key lime buttercream frosting and bake a cake immediately.

This is a wonderful buttercream to use for fillings and cakes. I highly recommend it as a filling for macarons to balance out the incredible sweetness of those cookies.

If you have never zested a lemon before, you will need a grater with small holes or a zester. They are relatively cheap and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. It’s one of those rare times I’ll tell you to go to a brick and mortar store and try one out. They are much easier to use if you are comfortable holding one.

So now that you’ve learned the basics, let’s look at how easy this is to make. Forgive the other fruits pictured. I was making a lot of fresh fruit buttercream frostings.

Key Lime Buttercream

Fresh citrus fruit and rich butter is ideal for summer desserts or for balancing out the cloying sweetness of the traditional American Buttercream.

Print Recipe

Prep Time20 minutes minutes

Total Time20 minutes minutes

Servings12

Calories 234.8

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups (300g) powdered sugar
• 1 cup (226g) softened unsalted butter
• 2 tsp (10mL) lime juice
• 1 tsp (1g) lime zest
• ⅛ tsp (1g) salt

Instructions

• Zest and juice one lime.
• Cream butter and add in 1 tsp of zest and 2 tsp of lime juice. Beat well.
• Add sugar slowly, a spoonful at a time on low speed or mix by hand. This helps prevent gritty frosting.

Notes

You can increase the amount of juice to create a looser consistency. Just take it slow, 1/2 tsp at a time.

Nutrition Facts

Key Lime Buttercream

Amount per Serving

Calories

234.8

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

14.7

g

23

%

Saturated Fat

 

9.3

g

58

%

Sodium

 

24.2

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

25.4

g

8

%

Fiber

 

0.1

g

0

%

Protein

 

0.1

g

0

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

* Calories provided as a courtesy and not guaranteed.