Lovely Lavender Cupcakes

Now, if you are like me and HOPELESS at decorating, this is the kind of cupcake for you!
It looks impressive...even beautiful! AND there is no piping, rolling of fondant or fiddle farting around of any kind!

People will think, "oh lavender cupcakes, how very eccentric of 'insert your name here.' He/she must be very talented indeed."

If you have a happy lavender bush like us, then get chippy chopping! You only need an inch of stem or so.

And before you start thinking that perhaps I am a good gardener, please realize that lavender thrives on neglect!

If you don't have any lavender readily available, then scout out your neighbourhood and get pinching. Find the well kept house with the lovely country/ cottage garden and behead 12 heads of lavender before you get caught! I dare you! Failing that, find the house in complete disrepair (similar to ours) that happens to have lucked upon lavender heaven...

Here is a pic of our lavender bush...ignore the candles that look to be having a tea party in front of said lavender. This shot was taken when I was trying to figure out, A: How to use a fancy camera and B: How to use a fancy camera to photograph candles.

Yep, clearly that shot was NOT used on my website.

Anyhoo, these cupcakes are DELICIOUS and gorgeous for a hens day, baby shower, wedding cupcake any kind of girly occasion.

Which brings us to Valentine's Day! How cute is this as a gift?

How much cuter is this gift with the addition of a Smitten Lavender Candle?

Have I totally sold you? Are you ready to ditch the same old pink cupcakes and embrace the power of Lilac? Lets get busy!

Ingredients and Method:

115g caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried lavender flowers (dry them between pages of a heavy book)
115g unsalted butter
2 eggs
115g self raising flour
2 tablespoons milk

Icing:
185g icing sugar (not mixture as you are making Royal Icing and it won't work!)
1 egg white
Lilac Food Colouring (Wilton's Gel Colouring is best)
12 Sprigs Fresh Lavender (from home or stolen, your choice!)

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
• Food process the lavender and sugar to make, well…lavender sugar.
• Beat said lavender sugar with butter till pale fluffiness abounds.
• Beat the eggs into the buttery goodness then add in flour and stir in milk.
• Spoon the mixture into cupcake liners and bake till golden (18 minutes or so).
• For the icing, beat sugar and egg white till foamy, then add food colouring till you achieve a gorgeous lilac hue.
• Drizzle icing over cakes and then top each cupcake with a stolen sprig of lavender! Let them set and then serve!

Your platter of lilacy goodness should look like this...serve them on a pink plate if you must! ENJOY!