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Lavender Lemon Cupcakes

These lavender lemon cupcakes have a perfectly balanced, floral-citrus flavor! They bake up tender, soft, and absolutely delicious.

image of a lavender lemon cupcake that's been cut into to show its lemon curd filling

How to Make Lavender Lemon Cupcakes

Let’s walk through each step of this lavender lemon cupcake recipe to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible!

I’ve also shared a video tutorial below.

Step 1: Massage the Lemon Zest into the Sugar

Add the granulated sugar and lemon zest into a bowl. Use your fingertips to massage the zest into the sugar to help release the oil in the zest.

You should be able to smell the oils being incorporated into the sugar. This gives these cupcakes a bright, citrusy flavor that won’t bake off in the oven. Set aside.

image of lemon zest being rubbed into granulated sugar with fingertips

Step 2: Make the Lemon Cupcake Batter

Then we tackle the lemon cupcakes! Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.

Make the cupcake recipe following the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

image of lemon cupcake batter that's been poured into cupcake liners in a muffin pan and is ready to be baked

Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake them for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove the pan from the oven.

Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove them and place them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

image of baked lemon cupcakes that are cooling in the pan

If you’re in a rush, place the entire pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.

Step 3: Make the Lavender Buttercream

While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the lavender Swiss meringue frosting. Steep dried lavender in warm milk, then add it to the frosting to give it a delicate floral flavor.

image of lavender Swiss meringue buttercream being mixed in a glass bowl with a hand mixer

I like to use my Swiss meringue buttercream (SMBC) as a base because it isn’t too sweet and really lets the flavors in this buttercream shine through!

If you aren’t a fan of SMBC, I’d recommend adding the lavender milk into a half batch of my American buttercream or my hybrid buttercream.

Once the frosting is made, stir it by hand with a rubber spatula to get it SUPER smooth. Then place it in a piping bag fit with your favorite piping tip and seal the top with a rubber band.

Step 4: Cut Out the Lemon Peel Heart Garnishes

To make these cupcakes even cuter, I like to add a little lemon peel heart as a garnish.

This is optional, but who wouldn’t want these to be this cute?!?

Use a vegetable peeler to peel a few thin strips from a lemon. Then use a small heart shaped cutter to cut out 12 little hearts.

image of hearts being cut from lemon peels to make a garnish for lemon lavender cupcakes

If you don’t have a heart shaped cutter you can also cut them out using a small, sharp knife.

Step 5: Fill and Frost the Lemon Cupcakes

If you want to fill these cupcakes, remove the centers with a large frosting tip or a 3/4-inch circle cutter.

Fill each cupcake with about a tablespoon of lemon curd. Filling the cupcakes is optional, but I think it really enhances their flavor.

image of a yellow lemon cupcake being filled with lemon curd

I usually use store bought lemon curd in this recipe, but you can also make your own.

Then pipe the lavender buttercream on top of each cupcake and gently press a lemon peel heart into the frosting on each cupcake.

Use a microplane grater to top the cupcakes with a dusting of lemon zest, then enjoy!

image of lemon lavender cupcakes that have been unwrapped from the liner

Substitutions and Swaps – Lemon Cupcakes

This cupcake recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.

  • Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of these cupcakes.
  • Fresh Lemon Zest – In a pinch, you could use lime juice and zest. You can also increase the amount of lemon extract to 2 tsp in place of the zest.
  • Sour Cream – Full fat yogurt, buttermilk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) can also be used.
  • 1 Large Egg – If you have an egg allergy you can try using a flaxseed egg or a vegan egg replacer like this made by Bob’s Red Mill.
  • Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe, so canola or even sunflower oil would work great! I advise against olive oil because of its strong flavor.
  • Gel Food Coloring – I added yellow gel food coloring to make the cupcake batter yellow. However, this is optional and can be omitted. Liquid food coloring or natural food coloring can be used if needed.
  • Cake Flour – This recipe turns out best with cake flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend or all-purpose flour if that’s all you have on hand.
  • Lemon Curd – Filling these cupcakes is optional! You can also make your own lemon curd or use jam. Blackberry or raspberry jam would be delicious.
image of lemon cupcake batter that's been poured into cupcake liners in a muffin pan and is ready to be baked

Substitutions and Swaps – Lavender Buttercream Frosting

  • Culinary Dried Lavender – Make sure you’re using good-quality dried lavender. I like to order mine on Amazon.
  • Whole Milk – Alternative milk or cream can be used in place of the whole milk to make the lavender milk if needed.
  • Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
  • Gel Food Coloring – I added electric purple and deep pink gel food coloring to make this buttercream bright purple. However, you can make this frosting a more classic lavender color by omitting the pink gel food coloring. Liquid food coloring or natural food coloring can be used if needed, but the frosting won’t be quite as bright.
image of lavender lemon cupcakes that are garnished with cute lemon peel hearts

How to Make Gluten Free Lavender Lemon Cupcakes

If you need to make gluten free lavender lemon cupcakes, use gluten free flour in place of the cake flour.

I prefer King Arthur’s gluten free flour blend. In addition to swapping the flour, there are two additional steps you need to take when making gluten free cupcakes.

Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

image of lemon cupcake batter being whisked together in a glass bowl

Over-mixing gluten free batter helps the cupcakes rise better as they bake and gives them a more tender crumb.

Letting the batter sit helps thicken the batter and prevents your cupcakes from having a gritty texture.

Lavender Lemon Cupcake Troubleshooting & FAQs

While I’d love to think everyone’s cupcakes will turn out perfectly every time, I know that sometimes things don’t go to plan. Below are some tips and advice to help!

Why Didn’t My Cupcakes Rise? Why Are My Cupcakes Dense?

This can be caused by a few things. The most common is that either the ingredients weren’t all at room temperature, you over-mixed the batter after adding the flour, or your leavening agents are expired.

Using cold ingredients has a huge damper on how much baked goods rise. Make sure to set out cold ingredients ahead of time to let them come to room temperature.

Over-mixed batter can also create dense, chewy baked goods. Make sure that you mix the batter until it’s just combined once you’ve added in the flour.

Expired baking powder is a sneaky one. Check the dates on your baking powder can. It can start to lose its leavening power after it’s been open for 6 months.

A quick and easy way to check your baking powder is to add a little bit to hot water. It should foam. If it doesn’t, it’s time to get some new baking powder.  

Why Did My Cupcakes Sink in the Middle? Why Did They Overflow on the Sides?

This can happen when the cupcakes are under-baked, overfilled, or if your oven runs cool.

Cupcake centers can sink if the cupcakes aren’t done baking before they’re pulled from the oven. You can avoid this by testing the center of the cupcakes with a toothpick.

It should come out with a few moist crumbs once the cupcake is done baking. If the toothpick comes out looking wet or goopy, the cupcakes need to bake for a bit longer.

One batch of batter should be the perfect amount to make 12 cupcakes, but it’s important that it’s evenly distributed between the liners. If they’re overfilled, they can overflow on the sides of the liners and/or sink in the middle.

Some cupcake pans and liners vary a bit in size, and this can also impact how the cupcakes bake up.

Another factor could be that your oven isn’t properly calibrated. I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer to make sure it’s baking at the right temperature.

Can I Make These Lavender Lemon Cupcakes in Advance?

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted and filled cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

However, like all baked goods these cupcakes taste best when they’re freshly baked!

They can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they’re thawed.

You can also make the buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. This buttercream frosting can last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

I like to store buttercream in a piping bag in the fridge. I find buttercream keeps its consistency well in piping bags and doesn’t require any mixing after it’s thawed.

image of lavender lemon cupcakes that are garnished with cute lemon peel hearts

Tips for Making the Best Lavender Lemon Cupcakes

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure the dry ingredients.
  • Mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated once you add in the flour. This will ensure the cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
  • To make gluten free lavender lemon cupcakes, swap in your favorite GF flour blend for the cake flour in this recipe. Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.
  • Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill the cupcake liners. It also makes sure the cupcakes end up being the same height.
  • Be careful not to overfill the cupcake liners! This can cause them to sink in the middle or explode over the sides of the liners.
  • One batch of batter can also be used to make one 8×8-inch lavender lemon sheet cake. Bake it at 325 F / 162 C for 33-38 minutes.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this lavender lemon cupcake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your delicious creations on social media!

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Yield: 12

Lavender Lemon Cupcakes

image of a lavender lemon cupcake that's been cut into to show its lemon curd filling

These lavender lemon cupcakes have a perfectly balanced, floral-citrus flavor! They bake up tender, soft, and absolutely delicious.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

Lemon Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest or the zest of 1 large lemon (6g)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, room temp (125g)
  • 1/2 cup water, room temp (120g)
  • 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil (56g)
  • 1 large egg, room temp (56g)
  • 1 tsp lemon extract (4g)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g)
  • yellow gel food coloring (optional)
  • 1 1/4 cups cake flour (160g)
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder (6g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)

Lavender Milk

  • 1/3 cup whole milk (80g)
  • 2 Tbsp dried culinary lavender (6g)

Lavender Buttercream Frosting

  • 3 large egg whites (100g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
  • 1/4 cup lavender milk, room temperature - recipe above (60g)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest or the zest of 1 large lemon (6g)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract (8g)
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)
  • purple and pink gel food coloring (optional)

Optional Filling

  • 3/4 cup lemon curd

Recommend Tools and Equipment

Instructions

Lemon Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and place 12 cupcake liners in a muffin pan. Set aside.
  2. Add 1 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon zest into a medium-sized bowl. Use your fingertips to massage the zest into the sugar to help release the oil in the zest. You should be able to smell the oils being incorporated into the sugar. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup oil, 1 large egg, 1 tsp lemon extract, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. If desired, add in a small squirt of yellow gel food coloring. Mix until fully incorporated.
  4. Whisk 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, the lemon sugar we made in step 2, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. The batter should be smooth.
  5. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to help the cupcakes bake evenly.
  6. Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before moving them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. Or if you're in a rush (or just impatient like me), place the entire pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.

Lavender Milk

  1. Pour 1/3 cup milk into a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, until the milk begins to simmer.
  2. Remove the pan from the stove top and add in 2 Tbsp dried lavender.
  3. Let the mixture steep for 15 minutes, then pour the liquid through a strainer into a small bowl.
  4. Set aside to cool completely before adding to the frosting.

Lavender Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting

  1. In a medium sized pot, add about 1-inch of water and bring to a simmer.
  2. Add 3 egg whites and 1 cup of granulated sugar into a metal or heat-proof mixing bowl.
  3. Place the bowl on top of the pot filled with simmering water. The bowl should create a seal over the pot. Make sure the water isn’t actually touching the bottom of the bowl, or it can cook the egg whites.
  4. Whisk the mixture constantly for about 1 1/2 minutes, until it reaches 160°F / 71°C. You can test the mixture to see if it’s ready by rubbing a tiny bit between your fingertips. The sugar should be fully dissolved, and it should feel super smooth and hot to the touch.
  5. Once it reaches this stage, lift the bowl away from the pot and dry the bottom with a towel. Pour the mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on a medium-high speed with a whisk attachment. Mix for about 10 minutes, or until you have stiff, glossy peaks that stick straight up. While the meringue whips, I like to add something cold around the base of my bowl. I find the meringue stays quite warm while it whips up and placing a bag of frozen veggies around the base of the bowl helps cool it back to room temperature. This can prevent your buttercream from becoming soupy in the next step.
  6. Mix in 1 cup of unsalted butter at a medium speed, 1 stick at a time. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. The frosting should have a thick, whipped consistency once all the butter is mixed in. If it looks lumpy or broken, keep mixing until it looks fluffy and thick. If it doesn't seem to come together after an additional 10 minutes of mixing, check out the troubleshooting section in this post.
  7. Once the consistency is right, swap out the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment and add in 1/4 cup lavender milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp fine salt, and a drop of purple and pink gel food coloring (if desired). Continue mixing on a low speed for a couple minutes to make the frosting extra smooth.
  8. The frosting should have a thick whipped consistency at this point. If it looks lumpy or broken, keep mixing until it looks smooth and thick.
  9. Place the frosting in a large piping bag fitted with your favorite piping tip and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip.

Decorating These Lavender Lemon Cupcakes:

  1. If you chose to fill these cupcakes, remove the centers with the bottom of a large piping tip or a 3/4-inch circle cutter. Fill each cupcake with 1 Tbsp of lemon curd.
  2. Next, make the heart garnish. Use a vegetable peeler to peel a few thin strips of skin from a lemon. Then use a small heart shaped cutter to cut out 12 little hearts. If you don't have a heart shaped cutter you can also cut them out using a small, sharp knife.
  3. Then pipe a large dollop of lavender buttercream on top of each cupcake. Gently press a lemon peel heart into the frosting on each cupcake.
  4. Use a microplane grater to top the cupcakes with a sprinkle of lemon zest, then enjoy!

Notes

Yield:

One batch of this recipe makes 12 standard sized cupcakes. It can also be used to make about 30 mini cupcakes. Bake mini cupcakes for 13-16 minutes at 350 F / 175 C.

Variations:

  • To make dairy free lemon lavender cupcakes, use an alternative dairy milk to replace the whole milk (almond, oat, or soy), vegan butter in place of the butter, and dairy free yogurt (almond, oat, or soy) in place of the sour cream.
  • To make gluten free lemon lavender cupcakes, swap in your favorite gluten free flour blend for the cake flour this recipe calls for, and be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.

Tips for Making the Best Lemon Lavender Cupcakes

  • Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
  • Properly measure the flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure the dry ingredients.
  • Mix the cupcake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated once you add in the flour. This will ensure the cupcakes are tender and fluffy.
  • To make gluten free lavender lemon cupcakes, swap in your favorite GF flour blend for the cake flour in this recipe. Be sure to over-mix your batter and let it sit for at least 30 minutes before baking for best results.
  • Use a large cookie scoop to easily fill the cupcake liners. It also makes sure the cupcakes end up being the same height.
  • Be careful not to overfill the cupcake liners! This can cause them to sink in the middle or explode over the sides of the liners.
  • One batch of batter can also be used to make one 8×8-inch lemon lavender sheet cake. Bake it at 325 F / 162 C for 33-38 minutes.

Making These Lavender Lemon Cupcakes in Advance & Storage Tips

You can make these cupcakes in advance! Frosted and filled cupcakes can sit at room temperature for a few hours or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

They can also last up to a month in the freezer. If you plan to freeze them, I suggest waiting to fill and frost them until they're thawed.

You can also make the buttercream ahead of time or save any leftovers. This buttercream frosting will last in the fridge for up to a month.

Be sure to give the frosting a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

You can also store buttercream in a piping bag in the fridge. I find buttercream keeps its consistency well in piping bags and doesn't require any mixing after it's thawed.

Nutrition Information

Yield

12

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 456Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 13gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 86mgSodium 346mgCarbohydrates 59gFiber 1gSugar 45gProtein 5g

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