Lavender Cupcakes
These lavender cupcakes combine floral elegance and delicate sweetness into a soft, tender dessert topped with a beautiful lavender-tinted glaze and sugared lavender sprigs.
Ingredients
- 1 egg white whisked until frothy
- Sprigs of edible dried lavender
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. edible dried lavender, ground or crushed
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk, slightly warm
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 5-6 tablespoons milk
- Violet gel paste food coloring or lavender food coloring
Instructions
- Make the Sugared Lavender: Lightly brush lavender sprigs with frothy egg white. Gently coat each sprig with superfine sugar and shake off excess. Lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them dry for 10 minutes.
- Prepare the Cupcakes: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with white or pastel liners.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a mixer, beat granulated sugar, lavender, and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Reduce mixer speed to medium and beat in eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed before adding the next. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: On low mixer speed, add the dry ingredient mixture in three additions, alternating with milk. Mix just until combined. Don’t overmix!
- Fill & Bake: Fill each cupcake liner just under halfway, ensuring the batter leaves room to rise. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
- Make the Glaze: Whisk together sifted confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth and pourable. Add food coloring to achieve your desired lavender shade. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of glaze onto each cooled cupcake.
- Decorate: Top each cupcake with a sugared lavender sprig before serving for a beautiful finish.
Notes
Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to a week.