This post was updated on 5/30/21
Jump to RecipeLast week, my daughter turned one. Just a year ago, she was a little six and a half pound slip of a newborn. She couldn’t roll over, lift her head, or say anything. Just cry and poop. Now? It’s just incredible. She toddles! She says “kisses”! She climbs up shelves! She goes belly first down slides! She puts the lid on my water bottle! (I know recently I did a post on the overuse of exclamation points, but I think I’m justified in my usage here, being a first-time mom and all.)
We have a lavender theme with Evelyn. Her room is purple. She has a lavender sachet “sleep pillow” that is like a comfort object when she sleeps. I usually choose purple over bubble gum pink when it comes to clothes for her. So I thought, “Lavender in a dessert. How lovely.” And did you know? Infants can eat honey when they turn one. Honey cake. Of course. Lavender honey cake.
I found the cupcake recipe from Better Homes and Gardens, and it turned out even better than I expected. I made a lot of mini cupcakes so I could share with friends, and also to keep Evelyn from getting too much of a sugar high. I needn’t have worried. She took a taste of the frosting, waved the cupcake around in her chubby little hand, and then chucked it to the ground. We all laughed. Oh well. If she doesn’t have a sweet tooth, that’s probably a good thing.
Here is a recipe for you, and below see what’s been cooking in my kitchen.
Einkorn Honey Lavender Cupcakes
Equipment
- mini cupcake pans
- mini cupcake liners
- piping bag or Ziploc bag to pipe frosting
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons butter (1 stick) room temperature, divided
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups Einkorn flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons dried lavender plus extra for decorating, if desired
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup coconut or maple sugar
- 1/2 cup honey divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla divided
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 5 ounces mascarpone cheese or cream cheese (about 2/3 cup) room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line cupcake pan with cupcake liners or lightly grease with butter. Mix together the following dry ingredients: Einkorn flour, baking powder, dried lavender, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, beat 1/2 cup of butter. Add sugar, 1/4 cup honey, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl and beating well. Alternately add flour mixture, then milk, then flour, then milk, beating on low until just combined. Scoop batter into lined or greased cupcake pans until each cup is 3/4 full. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven, cool ten minutes in pan, then remove and cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make frosting. Combine mascarpone cheese, 3 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup honey and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition. Scoop frosting into piping bag or Ziploc bag.
- Once cupcakes have cooled, pipe frosting onto each one. Start on the edge of the cupcake and swirl frosting inward in a circle, ending in the middle. Less is more; don't overdo it on these mini cupcakes. Decorate with extra dried lavender.