These lemon lavender cupcakes were my first experience in baking with lavender, and let me tell you, I am one smitten kitten. For years I’ve been drooling over sweets highlighting lavender’s delicate floral notes and I’m currently kicking myself for waiting so long to develop a recipe of my own. For our first rendezvous, I decided to infuse dried lavender flowers into a blackberry puree-spiked cream cheese icing to balance out the herbaceous, earthy quality of the lavender with sweet and tart notes from the gorgeously ripe blackberries that I’ve been stocking up on since they started appearing in my local market. And since all sinful frostings need a vehicle for consumption, I used my favorite light and fluffy lemon cupcakes as the base then topped each off with a crunchy sugared mint leaf because they were just too darn pretty to leave off. The result? A completely irresistible springtime cupcake that has been dubbed one of my all-time best by friends! Note that both the blackberry-lavender buttercream as well as the sugared mint require prep the night before so make sure you allow a little extra time for this one! XO, Katie микрозайм на карту qiwi
Photography, Recipe & Styling: Butterlust Blog
Read on for the recipe!
- FOR THE SUGARED MINT GARNISH: (prepare the night before)
- 18 mint leaves
- 1 egg white (or 1 tablespoon corn syrup)
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 4 large egg whites, room tempterature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure lemon extract
- lemon zest from two lemons
- FOR THE BUTTERCREAM (requires prep the night before)
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender flowers
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese, slightly cold
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 pint blackberries, pureed and strained (approximately 1/4 cup)
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
- FOR THE SUGARED MINT GARNISH
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. On a cutting board, use a pastry or paint brush to brush both sides of each leaf with egg white or corn syrup.
- Arrange each leaf veined side up and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Transfer the leaves to the parchment lined baking sheet, placing them sugar-side down and sprinkle with sugar again to cover the top side of each leaf. Do not reuse sugar from the first round of sprinkling as it will have some moisture from the egg whites that may clump.
- Let the leaves sit out uncovered overnight or for at least 8 hours. Once dry, shake off any excess sugar and store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to a week.
- FOR THE CUPCAKES
- Preheat oven to 350F and line two cupcake tins with paper liners or spray with nonstick spray.
- Sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In separate bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant, about a minute.
- In your liquid measuring cup, measure out the buttermilk then add the egg whites and whisk to combine.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and lemon-scented sugar until light and fluffy, about five minutes. Add the lemon and vanilla extracts and beat until well combined.
- With mixer on medium, alternate adding the dry mixture (cake flour & baking powder) and the wet mixture (eggs and buttermilk) in thirds, until well combined, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake tins and bake for 18-22 minutes, checking for the first time at around 15 minutes, or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch – a toothpick inserted into the centers should come out clean. Cool on wire rack before frosting.
- Combine the whole milk and the dried lavender in a small bowl and mix to submerge the lavender. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours to infuse the milk with lavender flavor.
- When ready to prepare the buttercream, strain the lavender from the milk and set the infused milk aside.
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter until well combined, about a minute. Add the lavender-infused milk and 1/4 cup of blackberry puree and beat until combined. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and beat on high until slightly fluffy, about 5 minutes. If the icing is still too thin, add another cup of powdered sugar in half cup increments until the desired consistency and sweetness is achieved. Note that because of the high liquid content this is a thinner icing and will not become stiff like a traditional buttercream. It is meant to be spread, not piped, on the cupcakes.
- TO ASSEMBLE
- Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread icing onto the top of each cupcake. Garnish each with a sugared mint leaf. These cupcakes are best eaten the same day but can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.
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