Cream the butter with an electric hand mixer for 1 minute on high until creamy and light in colour. If your butter is too cold or firm to whip, then place in the microwave for one or two 10-second bursts to soften it.

Add the sifted icing sugar, lemon zest and juice and beat to form a smooth icing. Add a little more lemon juice to taste for a more pronounced flavour.

Spread the buttercream on top of cakes, sandwich between cookies or place into a piping bag for more intricate decorations.

Notes: This recipe makes enough buttercream for a 20cm round or square cake, a 21 x 11cm loaf cake or about 6 cupcakes. For vegan-friendly icing, replace the butter with a plant-based alternative. Flora plant butter is our go-to!

Let’s whip up something delicious…

• Sandwich between classic chewy vanilla cookies or vanilla snap cookies to make Copycat Lemon Cream sandwich cookies
• Spread on top of a lemon blueberry tray bake
• Place some lemon buttercream and fresh raspberry icing in separate halves of one piping bag and pipe on top of cupcakes for a marbled effect 
• And so much more!