Lemon Lavender Cupcakes

For the Lemon Cupcakes

Mise en place. Measure and prepare all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners.
Prepare the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Prepare the wet ingredients. In a measuring glass, mix together the milk and sour cream.
Infuse the sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub everything together between your fingers for about 1 minute.
Cream the butter and sugar. Add the butter to the stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. I always stop once and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue mixing.
Add the wet ingredients. Add the eggs, mixing until incorporated. Add the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Add the dry and wet ingredients. Gradually add in the flour mixture and milk mixture in alternating batches, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Fill the cupcake liners. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 prepared cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
Bake and cool. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the cupcake pan on a wire rack.

For the Lavender Buttercream

Make the buttercream. While the cupcakes cool, prepare the lavender buttercream. To grind the dried lavender buds, put them in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed. After it's a bit creamy (after ~1 minute), add 1 teaspoon of ground dried lavender and the vanilla. Mix until creamy, about 1 more minute.
Add 3 ½ cups (400g) of powdered sugar and 2 Tablespoons of milk. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Adjust as needed. If the frosting is too thin, add up to ½ cup more powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time. If the frosting is too thick, add more milk, ½ Tablespoon at a time. If the lavender flavor is lacking, add 1 additional teaspoon of dried lavender. Add a pinch of salt if it tastes too sweet (⅛ teaspoon). In all scenarios, beat together, taste, and adjust as desired.
Color the frosting. Once your desired flavor and consistency is achieved, add in 1 part pink and 1 part violet food coloring using a toothpick. Start with a small amount! Mix until evenly colored.
Frost the cupcakes. Fill a piping bag with the buttercream, and frost each cooled cupcake. Start in the center and, using medium pressure, swirl upward. Garnish with lavender, if desired.

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Lemon Cupcakes

For the Lavender Buttercream

Instructions

For the Lemon Cupcakes

For the Lavender Buttercream

Nutrition