Spring is in the air, we had a few spring like temps in there this week! But alas, we dipped back down into the 40s, ahhh, Spring time in the City. I still love you Chicago. But no matter what’s happening with the temps, these beautiful honey lavender cupcakes with a blueberry lemon Swiss meringue buttercream will have you thinking of blooming trees and spring flowers! These are perfect for this weekend whether you celebrate Easter, Passover or Brunch!
My niece’s birthday falls around Easter, so this weekend we will be celebrating my oldest niece’s birthday! She is turning 13! Ahhh, a teenager, 13 going on 30! She is such a wonderful person blossoming into an amazing little woman and human being! She is so talented on many levels with her strength, smarts and athletic and artistic ability along with her fierce determination! She is a basketball rock star! Speaking of which, her rigorous schedule is making it difficult to bring her down to the city for her special birthday weekend in the city!
She has a mature palate too! Last year, I asked her what kind of cake she wanted, and she thought about it and said, how about a lemon cake. So lemon and strawberry cake it was! Well she’s going to get her lemons again this year in these springy treats. They are not too sweet, but with all that Easter candy the kids get, they might appreciate a slightly less sweet treat!
I remember when we were kids, we would get a simple Easter basket with some candy, always the big chocolate bunny, (I loved all the fruity candy and a white chocolate bunny!) and small little toy. I mean small, like marbles or something! My sister goes crazy, it’s like Christmas! Kids these days, they have it made! I had to walk up hill in the snow both ways to school…. 🙂
Back to these beautiful, sophisticated cupcakes. The lavender and honey go perfectly together in this very moist yet extremely light crumb. The addition of blueberry and lemon in the Swiss meringue gives the perfect amount of zing and is simply delightful! And just look at that gorgeous color of the frosting! No food coloring required. I used freeze dried blueberries in the frosting and the result is this lovely purple!
Love the simple beauty of these cupcakes and the beauty in the flowers. I know the temperature is trying to tell us we are still in winter, but soon, you will see beautiful buds awakening!
These will be the perfect centerpiece for your Easter Brunch or any table!
Enjoy!
- For the cupcakes:
- 1⅔ cups cake flower
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1¼ tsp. dried lavender ground
- ½ cup whole milk - room temp
- 3 egg whites
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup of honey
- 1 stick unsalted butter – room temp
- ¼ cup Mascarpone – room temp
- For the Buttercream:
- 5 egg whites
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- 4 sticks unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 4 to 6 tsp. freeze dried blueberries ground
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
- For the Cupcakes:
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with liners and 2 more in a second pan and set aside.
- Using a spice grinder or coffee grinder, grind the dried lavender into a powder and place in small bowl. Wipe out grinder, don't worry it doesn't have to be completely clean, and do the same with the freeze dried blueberries. Place in a separate bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine your dry ingredients and whisk to combine, then set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth about 2 minutes. Slowly add in the sugar and continue to beat for another 3 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the honey and beat to incorporate.
- Add the mascarpone and beat until combined.
- Beat the egg whites until slightly foamy. Add to the butter sugar mixture in three pours. Beat after each addition until incorporated.
- Combine the milk and vanilla extract.
- Add ½ of the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add the wet mixture and combine. It will curdle some, that’s ok. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Do not over mix.
- Using an ice-cream scoop or about ⅓ cup, fill each cupcake liner ⅔rds full. Gently even out tops with offset spatula or knife.
- Bake on middle rack of the oven for 16 to 18 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes in pan on rack. Then remove from pan and allow to cool completely on the rack.
- For the Buttercream:
- Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Pour sugar and salt in the bowl of stand mixer with the egg whites.
- Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
- Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
- Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
- Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed. The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes.
- Next switch to the paddle attachment and beat on medium high speed.
- Add the butter slowly one piece at a time to incorporate. The mixture will look like it’s curdled, keep mixing, that is normal. Mix until frosting is smooth and shiny.
- Add in the vanilla extract, lemon juice and honey and mix to combine. Next add in the ground blueberries, mix to incorporate. Then add in the lemon zest and mix to combine.
- Decorate cooled cake as desired. Store in air-tight container for up to 2 days at room temp or covered in the fridge for up to 5.
- Enjoy!
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