Lemon Lavender Cupcakes: Easy lemon cupcakes made with lavender buttercream frosting and topped with fresh lemon slices and flowers. Our contributor has a new recipe for cupcakes. Lindsay Conchar
These Lemon Lavender Cupcakes will make your taste buds swoon! This combination of sweet lemon cupcakes and light lavender frosting makes for a fun and delicious dessert!
These cupcakes have me feeling all spring-like! Although it’s February, our winter has been so extreme that bulbs and flowers have already started to emerge. They have been doing so for several weeks. I am sure we will have tulips by the end of the month. It’s nutty!
Weather conditions change from sunny and cold to cloudy and rainy/gray, and 65 degrees almost daily. Unsurprisingly, flowers are still determining whether they should wait or bloom. When I take out my jacket to walk our dog, I must open the door to check if it is a light jacket or heavy jacket with a hat and gloves. You never know what you might find! These cupcakes are the perfect way to get me through February and spring.
I have been interested in trying some of the available floral flavors. They are something I have always wanted to experience. I baked a rosewater cake a few weeks back and was pleasantly surprised at how much it tasted. Although it had a floral component, it tasted almost like candied flowers.
After loving rose water, I was eager to try lavender. The flavor was delicious! It is a little floral but not so much that it makes eating difficult. It smells more floral than it tastes, which is quite neat. These cupcakes are a great late-night treat because lavender is well-known for its ability to help with sleep and relaxation. While the sugar may give you energy, the lavender will surely relax you.
It is also an excellent combination with lemon. The lavender well complements the floral element. You can add fresh lemon juice and zest to the cupcake. The lavender Extract was used in the frosting. I also added lavender flowers to decorate.
These Lemon Lavender Cupcakes were a hit! The lemon cupcake is moist and light, while the lavender frosting is lovely and soft. They make an excellent combination for a fun party or trying something new. We hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
INGREDIENTS
Lemon Cupcakes:
Six tablespoons unsalted Butter, Room Temperature
3/4 cup sugar
Six tablespoons sour cream
Vanilla Extract – 1/2 teaspoon
One tablespoon grated lemon zest
3 Large Egg Whites, Room Temperature
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Two teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 cup milk
One tablespoon water
Three tablespoons fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons)
Lavender Frosting:
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup shortening
4 cups Powdered Sugar
2-3 tablespoons water or milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 teaspoon lavender extract
Violet gel paste color, optional
Lavender flowers
6-7 Lemon slices, cut in half
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and prepare the cupcake pan using liners.
Mix the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
Mix the lemon zest, vanilla Extract, and sour cream until they are well combined.
Mix the egg whites in 2 batches. After each set, blend them until combined. Make sure to scrape the bowl down as necessary to ensure that all ingredients are properly incorporated.
Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Next, combine milk, water, and lemon juice in a measuring cup.
Mix the batter with half the dry ingredients until it is well combined.
Mix the milk mixture with the dry ingredients until it is well combined.
Mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Make sure to scrape the sides of your bowl until all ingredients are well combined.
Cupcake liners should be filled to 3/4 of the way. Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted with crumbs comes out.
Allow cupcakes to cool in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool them completely.
Make the frosting while the cupcakes cool. Blend the shortening and butter until you have a smooth mixture.
Mix in about half the powdered sugar until you get a smooth consistency.
Mix the extracts with two tablespoons of milk or water until they are well combined.
Mix in the rest of the powdered sugar until well combined. If necessary, add more water or milk.
To make the frosting purple, add violet icing to it.
Use a closed star tip to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Sprinkle the frosting on the cupcakes and garnish with half a lemon slice.