Bleh, Wednesday!

This week has been one of those "It's only Wednesday?!?" kind.  Work has been incredibly strange (I swear, I could write a book!), and today through Saturday will be even worse now that it's the first of the month.  I've made a couple of life altering decisions that I need to see through (and share once I get my thoughts together), and to top it off my cooking (and crafting) have been basically non existent.

In order to not get in the habit of not posting, I'll share with you something I made last week that was so fabulous:  Lemon Lavender Cupcakes.

Now, holy cow ... these were good.  A little flowery, but I have come to find out I like that flowery taste in baked goods.

This past holiday season I was going to make some eye pillows as gifts.  I got whole flax seeds, some fabric and 1/2 pound of organic lavender.  Did it happen?  Um... no.  I'm not sure why it didn't other than the whole month of December seemed to slip away from me.  So now I have 1/2 pound of lavender sitting just waiting for me to do something with it.

Last summer Adrienne made some delicious lavender shortbread when we discovered a small bottle of lavender in my spice rack.  It was her challenge to find something to do with it.  (That's a post for another time.)  It was, however, then, that I discovered my love for the taste of dried lavender.  I'm not sure I'd stick it in my chicken stew (ewww), or eat it plain (double ewww) but there's something about it in baked goods that I really enjoy.  Especially paired with the tart of lemon. Yum.

This recipe came from Shape Magazine - so it's a healthier type of cupcake (always good for this time of year!)  If you get a chance try it - I took it to work and it wasn't just me that liked it.  :)

Lavender Lemon Cupcakes
(modified slightly from Shape Magazine)

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp dried lavender buds
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed and room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sour salt
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• Dried lavender, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and place cupcake liners in a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. To make the batter, whisk together flour, lavender, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in egg, and lemon juice. Beat in one-third of the flour mixture until just combined. Beat in half the buttermilk, followed by another third of the flour, then the remaining buttermilk and flour.
4. Fill cupcake liners about two-thirds of the way up and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
5. To make the icing, stir together confectioner's sugar and lemon juice until smooth.  Drizzle over cupcakes and garnish with lavender. (Let frosting set for 30 minutes before packing or serving.) Serve right away or store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Comments

[paula]

I am dying to know what life altering decisions you've made (I'm always looking for ideas LOL).

[Alisha]

LOL Paula... me too actually :) But I always like the *good* decisions!