Cupcake question- I know it's probably been asked before :)

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Sooo, I don't like butter. Can't stand the taste or texture but I use it in cooking.
I make fairy cakes with glace icing very nice.

I treated myself to a Kenwood Freestanding K Mix and discovered that butter icing made with unsalted butter, a dash of vanilla, a spoonful of milk and lots of beating is actually quite nice . Sort of fluffy and bland IYKWIM.

I decided to do some cakes with lemon icing. Fine grated rind and lemon juice. Yeah Gods it was vile. Made my teeth squeaky and in spite of the huge amount of sugar, it was sour.

So if I did cakes, cut out a 'butterfly' a spoonful of lemon curd and the icing. How could I make it more lemony.

Rind in the cake and vanilla butter cream maybe?

Any tried and tested ideas?

TIA

Rind in the cake.
What about beating lemon curd into the butter icing (I assume your adding icing sugar to that? Its not in your list!)

I generally put lemon rind, and a dash of lemon juice in lemon butter icing (but used salted butter - cardinal sin, I know)

Enjoy!

yes I used 2:1 icing sugar:butter.

I will try the rind in the cake and the lemon curd in the buttercream.
I love the idea of lemony creamy cakes (the DC like plain or chocolate) so I'll have a practice.

For the cupcakes:
175g unsalted butter, softened
175g caster sugar
3 eggs
175g self-raising flour
Zest of 1 large lemon
½ tsp baking powder
2tbsp milk

For the lemon buttercream:
125g unsalted butter, softened
250g icing sugar, sieved
Juice of 1 large lemon

Recipe:

*Preheat the oven to 190oC/376oF/Gas Mark 5.
*Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases
*Whisk the butter and sugar together using an electric hand whisk or beat with a wooden spoon until pale and creamy
*Gradually whisk in the eggs until just combined. Then add the flour, lemon zest, baking powder and milk.
*Whisk until combined and fluffy.
*Divide equally between the paper cases, filling them about two-thirds full, and bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until golden and risen.
*Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to go cold.

For the lemon buttercream:
*Whisk the butter in a bowl until fluffy.
*Gradually add the icing sugar and whisk until it comes together
*Add the lemon juice and whisk until light and fluffy.
Use as required

I normally do what you did, but lemon extract from a bottle is quite good too and not as sharp as fresh lemon. It does have that artificial kind of taste, however. I don't mind it really.