Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting

This homemade Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect way to add a sweet, tangy burst of summer flavor to your favorite desserts. Made with creamy cream cheese and bright pink lemonade, this easy frosting is smooth, fluffy, and full of fresh citrus flavor. Whether you’re frosting a Southern layer cake, sheet cake, cupcakes, or sugar cookies, this refreshing frosting is sure to become a warm-weather favorite for cookouts, holidays, and family gatherings.

Easy Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

There’s just something about cream cheese frosting that makes any cake or cupcake feel a little more special. Rich, creamy, and perfectly tangy, it adds an extra layer of decadence to just about any dessert. This Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting takes that classic favorite to the next level with a bright, sweet-tart citrus flavor that’s perfect for spring and summer baking.

If you love to bake from scratch, this frosting is a wonderful finishing touch for homemade cakes and cupcakes. But if baking isn’t your favorite thing, or you’re short on time, don’t worry. A simple boxed cake mix topped with this homemade frosting tastes like a bakery-style treat with very little effort. It’s an easy way to dress up any cake for birthdays, cookouts, baby showers, potlucks, or anytime you’re craving a refreshing dessert with a pop of pink lemonade flavor.

Key ingredients you’ll need to make Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card and quantities.)

• Cream Cheese – Plain cream cheese gives this frosting a creamy texture.
• Butter – Salted butter or unsalted butter.
• Lemon – Fresh lemon zest and lemon extract amps up the lemon flavor.
• Pink Lemonade – Frozen pink lemonade concentrate gives this icing it’s signature flavor.
• Flavoring – Vanilla extract balances the taste.
• Sugar – Powdered sugar for sweetness.
• Food Coloring – Red or pink food coloring to intensify the color..

How to Make Pink Lemonade Cream Cheese Frosting

• Creamed Ingredients – Using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat for 3 minutes on medium-high speed until fluffy and pale yellow in color.
• Add Flavorings – Add vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon zest, beating on medium speed just until combined.
• Powdered Sugar and Lemonade – On low speed, add the powdered sugar, alternately with the thawed pink lemonade concentrate. Stop and scrape the sides of the bowl periodically, so all of the ingredients will combine.
• Tint – Add a few drops of red or pink food coloring until it reaches your desired intensity of color.
• Beat Until Fluffy – After all of the ingredients have been added, increase the speed of the mixer and beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes or until fluffy and no lumps remain.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Pink Lemonade Frosting

• Electric mixer. You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer.
• Measuring cups and measuring spoons.
• Large bowl.
• Large rubber spatula or spoon to scrape the bowl.

Recipe Variations Tips and Substitutions

• Cream Cheese – You can use plain Neufchatel cheese in place of full fat cream cheese for a lighter frosting.
• Adjust the Color – You can easily adjust the intensity of the color by adding food coloring until it reaches your desired level of color. You can use gel color or liquid color.
• Yield – This pink lemonade buttercream recipe will make around 6 cups of frosting. That means you’ll have enough to frost 36 cupcakes, one 3 layer [8] inch layer cake, and more than enough for a standard 13×9-inch sheet cake. Freeze any leftovers.
• Serving Options – You can use this classic flavor combination to frost  Sour Cream Angel Cakes or White Buttermilk Cake or your favorite vanilla or butter cake cupcakes.
• Decorating – The pink color complements fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, cherries and blueberries, too. A really cute way to decorate these cupcakes, is with a colorful paper straw readily found in the party section of most stores such as Target and Walmart as well as craft stores like Michaels. It’s a fun and inexpensive way to present a simple cupcake and take it to another level.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers – Store Pink Lemonade Frosting in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator for up to one week.
• Freezer – You can also freeze this frosting for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator prior to using.
• Tips and Tricks – After chilling, allow the frosting to come to room temperature, then use a whisk or hand mixer to beat the frosting with an electric mixer prior to using for a smooth consistency.

More Easy Frosting Recipes to Make

• Creamy Whipped Chocolate Frosting.
• Fluffy 7 Minute Frosting is scrumptious on chocolate cake, vanilla, coconut or red velvet.
• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is a classic that everyone should have in their recipe file.
• Frost spice cakes or butter cake with this Brown Sugar Buttercream Icing.
• Caramel fans will love this Dulce de Leche Cream Cheese Frosting.
• Frost chocolate cupcakes with Peanut Buttercream Icing.
• Italian Meringue Buttercream from Swans Down.

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Helpful Kitchen Items: 

• Cupcake Pan
• Ice Cream Scoops
• Mixer
• Measuring Set