Lily Vanilli's Honey, Lavender & Almond Cupcakes

The aromatic sharpness of lavender combined with soft honey flavours and toasted almonds give these cupcakes an intensity of flavour that is luxuriously decadent and festive.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 13 Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Vanilla cupcakes

• 280  g plain flour, sifted
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1  pinch salt
• 113  g unsalted butter, softened
• 205  g  tate & lyle fairtrade caster sugar
• 2  large eggs, at room temperature
• 4  fluid ounces  whole milk
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  good vanilla extract

• For the frosting

• Lily Vanilli Lavender Honey Icing

• 50  g  soft butter
• 450  g  tate & lyle fairtrade icing sugar (approx depending on the consistency you want to achieve)
• 3  fluid ounces  lavender milk (see directions)
• 1  fluid ounce  double cream
• 1  teaspoon honey
•  flaked  almonds, and lavender to decorate

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180ºc.
2. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add caster sugar and beat for 5 minutes until very light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, beginning and ending with the flour. Be careful not to over mix.
5. Using an ice cream scoop, spoon the batter into cupcake liners - about 3/4 full.
6. Bake for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
8. For the frosting - Lily Vanilli's Lavender Honey Icing:.
9. Toast flaked almonds on a baking sheet in a hot oven for approx 5 mins – until lightly browned - and allow to cool.
10. Whisk butter in a metal bowl until smooth, then add 300g icing sugar, milk, honey & double cream. Blend until smooth and slowly add remaining icing sugar until you have the consistency you want.
11. Ice cupcakes and dust with a sprinkling of lavender buds and cooled toasted almonds.
12. For the Lavender Milk:.
13. Measure out around 1.5 times the milk your recipe allows ( to allow for evaporation) and add lavender buds at a ratio of 2 tbsp buds to 1 cup of milk to a small pan. Heat ingredients to scald stage (just before boiling), then turn off the heat and leave to cool completely. Strain the flowers with a sieve and re-measure milk before adding to your recipe.