In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat the butter until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. I use the regular flat beater.

Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon half and half. Turn mixer on and off on lowest speed until the powdered sugar has been incorporated (this will prevent a messy cloud of powdered sugar all over your mixer and counter). Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes, stopping half way through to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add more half and half (just a teaspoon at a time), if needed to create a thick, but creamy consistency.

For the ruffled piping technique, fit a 16-inch, disposable decorating bag with a Wilton 190 tip. Holding on to the tip end of the bag, turn the bag over your hand so that it's half inside out. Using gel food color and a small paint brush, paint 4 5-inch stripes from the tip end up. Add icing and twist top of bag shut. Starting near the outside edge (or right at the edge if you want all of the cake covered) of the cupcake, hold tip at a 45˚ angle and move it back and forth as you rotate around the outer edge of the cupcake. When you get all the way around, begin moving in and make concentric circles of ruffles till you reach the center. When you reach the center, you can repeat the ruffling, only start a little ways inside your first layer and work your way to the center. I recommend practicing the technique on a small plate until you get the hang of it.