Honey Lavender Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe courtesy of Spice Ice Cream (I found it on foodgawker.com)

•  2/3 cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon dried lavender*
• 185g unsalted butter (about 13 tbsps)
• 3 tablespoons honey (floral varieties work beautifully)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Honey and Cream Cheese frosting

• 250g cream cheese, softened (a little over 8 oz. but 8 oz. was enough for me)
• ¾ cup icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place sugar and lavender in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. In a large bowl, beat butter, lavender sugar and honey until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and then the vanilla extract.

Fold the flour and baking powder into the butter mixture. It should be moist/stiff but not wet. Spoon the batter into 12 x muffin papers and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.

To make the cream cheese icing, place cream cheese, icing sugar and honey in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix until smooth and blended, scraping down the sides to incorporate all the ingredients. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Use a palette knife to smooth icing onto cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with dried lavender flowers, if you like!

Results:  I don't think I used enough butter so these were a bit dense but still edible.  I also happened to have fresh lavender from my professor's garden so I used that.  Nice light flavor.  When using fresh ingredients, use about 1/3 more than dried.