Cupcake 77- Meyer Lemon with Lavender Cream

Meyer lemons have a very powerful aroma, a little citrusy, but much more perfumey than a "grocery store" lemon. I expected the taste to much more vibrant, not so much. And again the lavender I used for the filling was overwhelming when I was steeping the dried flowers. My kitchen smelled like a cupcake whorehouse, if there is such a thing (adult Candyland, maybe?) between the lavender and Meyer lemons. I was thankful the tastes were were much more umm..meek.



Meyer Lemon Cupcakes
3 C cake flour
1 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2 C sugar
1 T Meyer lemon zest
4 eggs, room temp
1 t vanilla
1 1/2 c buttermilk
3 T Meyer lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cupcake pans/24 wells with liners. Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, set aside.

In bowl of standing mixer combine butter and sugar mixing until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest and beat for one more minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and mix well.

Mix lemon juice into butter milk. Alternate flour and buttermilk in three increments, mixing well and scraping sides of bowl between each addition.

Fill cupcake wells 3/4 full, bake 17-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Lavender Cream
3 T dried food grade lavender blossoms
3 T sugar
1/2 c water
pinch of salt
1 1/2 c heavy cream

Bring water, sugar and lavender to boil, sirring well to dissolve sugar. Turn off burner, allow to steep 20 minutes. Strain and allow lavender water to cool.

In bowl of stand mixer beat cream until thick add 3T lavender water and a pinch of salt, beat on high until stiff peaks form.

Meyer Lemon Buttercream

2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
4 c powdered sugar sifted
1/2 t vanilla
1 t lemon extract (optional)
2 T Meyer lemon zest
3 - 4 T Meyer lemon juice

In bowl of standing mixer, beat butter until light, add zest, pinch of salt and vanilla, beat well. Add powdered sugar in four increments, beating well and scraping sides of bowl. Add juice to reach desired consistency. Beat buttercream on high 3 minutes.

To assemble.

Use cone method to pipe filling into cupcakes, frost with buttercream, top with lavender.