Lemon lavender cupcakes

Using floral ingredients in cooking was never really appealing to me. In all truth, when biting into a piece of pastry, the last thing I'd want is it to have mouthfeels tantamount to a spring bouquet. And yet, inevitably, here we are.

On reaching the discovery that small intentions can lead to greater experiences- the bigger life lesson spurring its way into this bold project- I digressed. What if I toned down the floral component and leveled in a bit of citrus? Nonetheless, those minor adjustments and a judicious hand, remembering a little goes a long way, gave way to a recipe many and their mothers would approve of.

The first batch of lemon lavender cupcakes were part of a custom order I did a year ago. Dialing down what was prescribed, in this case, lavender buds, brought about the mild level exotic to an indulgently fresh cupcake, one which can be terribly addicting.

The combination is a charming one. Bright notes of lemon leveled amidst lavender sprinkles create a cupcake so beautiful, with an admirable amount of intensity, having you crave for more than just one.

The pictures shown are with Swiss meringue buttercream, but a good cream cheese frosting would work just as brilliantly.

Ingredients:

(recipe adapted from The Cake Blog)

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp dried lavender buds, lightly crushed
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• 6 tbsp sour cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 3 large egg whites, room temperature
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 tbsp water
• 1½ tbsp fresh lemon juice 

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and crushed lavender buds in a mixing bowl together and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. 
• Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and lemon zest to this mixture.
• Beat in the egg whites and thoroughly combine.
• In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk, water, and lemon juice
• In three increments, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk mixture to the butter/egg batter, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix. Scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula between additions.
• Fill cupcake liners about ¾ full. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, slight crumbs are ok.
• Remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes, then place them on wire racks to finish cooling.
• Frost as desired.

Notes: Cream cheese frosting here. Swiss meringue frosting here. Toppers are made with my marshmallow fondant.

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"When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." -Psalms 94:19