These lemon lavender cupcakes are the perfect treat for Spring. The fluffy lemon cake is topped with creamy lavender buttercream frosting. They have a bright, floral flavor you'll love.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside.
Add the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and butter to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the mixture together until the butter has completely combined with the dry ingredients and no lumps remain. The texture will look sandy.
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter
Add in the eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and buttermilk. Mix the ingredients together on low until a homogenous batter forms.
1 large egg, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 3 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup buttermilk
Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the batter into the muffin liners. Fill them each ¾ of the way full. Transfer to the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with moist crumbs, never wet batter.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven. Allow them to cool to room temperature before frosting them.
Lavender Buttercream Frosting
In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed for 5-8 minutes until light and fluffy.
½ cup unsalted butter
Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then mix in the lavender and vanilla extracts on low.
2 teaspoon lavender extract, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix in the powdered sugar and salt on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to high and mix for 3-4 minutes or until the buttercream looks light and fluffy.
2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Mix in the heavy cream on low 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream reaches your preferred consistency. Then, mix in a few drops of purple food coloring if desired.
1-2 tablespoon heavy cream, Purple food coloring
Assembly
Fill a piping bag with a large tip with the lavender buttercream. Pipe two swirls on top of each cupcake. Sprinkle sugar and culinary lavender buds on top and enjoy!
Notes
Bring the butter, buttermilk, and eggs to room temperature. Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly.
Measure the flour with a kitchen scale for accurate weight. If you don't have one, gently spoon the flour into the measuring cup without packing it down.
Storage: Store unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store in the refrigerator for an additional 3 days after that. Frosted cupcakes must be refrigerated.Freezing: Make sure the cupcakes are unfrosted before freezing. Freeze them on a baking sheet for 2 hours our until frozen solid. Then, store in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.When ready to enjoy, remove the cupcakes from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for a couple hours or in the refrigerator overnight. Frost and serve.