Lavender Cupcakes & Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting
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Lavender is one of the most aromatic and highly versatile plants in the world. Known for its sweet-floral aroma and calming properties it is often times used as a perfume or added in culinary dishes like these lavender cupcakes and lavender cream cheese frosting!
When we lived in North Carolina, we spent a lot of time in the Appalachian Mountains in one of our favorite towns, Blowing Rock. After spending the entire day hiking, eating at our favorite restaurants, playing at the park and getting ice cream, we would always finish out our day with a cup of Joe from our favorite little local coffee shop for the drive home. There, they served lavender coffee. I remember the first time we saw it on the menu and was like “what??!!?” I wasn’t daring enough to get it the first time I saw it, but one time when my brother-in-law came to visit, he got it and I tried it…and was instantly in love. I got it every time going forward. Since then, I have noticed that lavender has become the new Salted-Caramel…every menu down South has some form of lavender on it!
Since we’ve now moved to Wisconsin, I can’t frequent my favorite little mountain coffee shop so my craving for lavender has been increasing. So I decided to give a new recipe I found a try for Lavender Cupcakes & Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting. I mean, doesn’t that sound heavenly??
In order to achieve the lavender flavor in these cupcakes and frosting, I used a few drops of lavender essential oil. By using this method, you can add more drops to give it a more bursting flavor…or less if you’d prefer a more subtle hint of lavender.
Facts About Lavender
- Lavender is a flowering plant of the mint family.
- Lavender is one of the key herbs found in the Herbes de Provance seasoning mix used to flavor fish, meats, and vegetable stews.
- Has a sweet aromatic fragrance and can be used in body spray or perfume and put into roller bottles
Can You Eat Lavender?
- Yes! You can eat lavender! Lavender is actually an herb that adds a pleasant flavor to many culinary dishes.
- You can eat the leaves and the flowers.
I have a TON of lavender growing in our garden beds so I was able to pick off some flowers to garnish my beautiful cupcakes! And yes, it is safe to eat the lavender flowers, they are an herb! Just be mindful of any pesticides, etc that may have been sprayed on them!
Recipe
For this recipeI used this lavender essential oil because it is a safe, food grade.
Lavender Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 c cake flour
- 1 2/3 c granulated sugar
- 1 tbs baking powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 c butter, softened
- eggs 4 large egg whites, 1 large whole egg
- 1 c whole milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.Put cupcake liners into muffin tins.Mix dry ingredients on slow speed for two minutes to blend.Add the soft butter and mix until evenly crumbly.Add egg whites one at a time, then add the whole egg, beating well after each addition to begin building the structure of the cake. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with each egg addition.In a small bowl, whisk milk with vanilla and Lavender oil. Add to the batter ⅓ cup at a time. Beat one to two minutes after each addition, until fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25–30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
Lavender Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 c butter, room temperature
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 c powdered sugar
- 1 pod vanilla bean
- 2 drops lavender essential oil
Instructions
- With an electric mixer, and using the paddle attachment, not the whisk, mix the butter and cream cheese together, about three minutes on medium speed until very smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure even mixing.Add vanilla extract and toothpick of Lavender oil and mix. Slowly add powdered sugar. Keep adding until you get desired sweetness and thickness. Taste for flavor and add more Lavender oil a toothpick full at a time to get the desired taste.Spread icing on the cooled cupcakes and refrigerate until serving.
The cupcake batter made 24 cupcakes and the frosting was almost enough for double this! I actually have about half of the frosting left over in my fridge waiting to be used for another batch of cupcakes.
I really loved these cupcakes! They were so flavorful…slightly dry, but still, really yummy. They would definitely be a make again! You could easily swap out this cupcake batter recipe for my gluten-free cupcake recipe and my dairy-free frosting recipe, and still add the lavender essential oil. You can buy your lavender essential oil here!
