1 (6-ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (18.25-ounce) package white cake mix (I used Duncan Hines French Vanilla)
1 tablespoon dried culinary French lavender, finely ground in a spice grinder
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream (I used light sour cream)
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used 2 oz. light cream cheese since that’s what I had left from an 8 ounce block)
3 large eggs
Preparation
Remove 2 tablespoons lemonade concentrate from can, and reserve for frosting.
Combine remaining concentrate, cake mix, finely ground lavender, sour cream, cream cheese and eggs in a mixing bowl. Beat at low speed with an electric mixer until moistened. Beat at high speed 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each three-fourths full.
I use a 1 1/2 oz. ice cream scoop which fills the cupcake liners easily and with the right amount of batter.
Bake at 350° for 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; cool completely on wire rack.
The cupcakes are moist and have the texture of pound cake with the addition of the sour cream and cream cheese. The addition of lavender is wonderful with the lemon!
I ended up with 22 moist & lemony cupcakes from this recipe, even though Southern Living says it makes 30.
Confession time:
I’m one of those people who like canned frosting. . .especially Pillsbury’s Creamy Supreme Cream Cheese Frosting.
{insert *Gasp* here}
Now that the secret is out, I hope you’ll still write & visit :)
I used canned cream cheese frosting and mixed in the 2 reserved tablespoons of lemonade concentrate to add some lemon flavor to the cream cheese.
If the idea of canned frosting makes your teeth ache, there is a Cream Cheese Frosting recipe here, with lots of 5 star ratings & reviews.
You can find a printable recipe for the cupcakes here.
Good morning! I will have to try those cup cakes this weekend for my grandaughters birthday. Between the crab cakes and cup cakes we will be full of lavender and I’m sure we will all be ” mellow”?
They look delicious! Nothing wrong with a shortcut as long as the final results are yummy! Love the idea of using canned frosting and also, using the ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners…less mess and more accurate.
Hi Mary! The cupcakes look divine and so beautiful! You are simply the best food stylist. I know some people are a little snooty about canned frosting, but it IS good and oh so easy peasy and look what you’ve done with it!! Happy weekend, dear Mary.
~Mary~
Really now Mary, canned frosting??!!! along with just about everyone!! :) I wanted to run my finger right through those cupcakes, yum yum!!
Paula
In.
I laughed at your comment about gasping and teeth aching concerning bought icing. Your cupcakes are so pretty and you deserve some short cuts after the very busy week you have had.
Pretty tablecloth and great cake stand. Your styling is the best.
The cupcakes look so beautiful. I have used Lavender Salt on fish…need to try these cupcakes…and Lavender Lemonade too! Beautiful post…looking forward to the next one!
oh those cupcakes are FUN! i have to confess i can never use recipes that don’t have fresh lemons, my trees would kill me if i did… you are just brimming with lavender, look at the jar to the tippy top! oh this does sound so good, maybe if i made them here they wouldn’t know…its the sour cream that makes me weak, it makes things so extra moist… your pics are adorable, i so loving this world of purple we are all living in this week!
Yes, my teeth are hurting just thinking of that frosting! Confession time I will eat that frosting out of the can!!! oops my secret is out.
The recipe looks and sounds divine. I will be trying it out this weekend. Not sure if I can make the presentation as nice. I will give it my best.
Thanks
Had to laugh at your confession…I came out of the closet a couple of years ago and confessed I adore Peeps…Some of my foodie friends were shocked and some admitted to their own little secrets…
The batter sounds delicious! My niece who is a cake baker-decorator always adds a touch of sour cream to her cake batters.
I must ask…what tip did you use to get such beautiful swirls with your frosting?
just delightful Mary, I love how you have dressed them up for the photos, they look like ballerinas at the recital with their ruffly “tutu” papers! the little straws look adorable and the cupcake in the jar of lavender steals the show! The recipe sounds so good, I can’t wait to try it…as for the icing, I have my own guilty little secrets, I like Velveeta…shhh….
Mary, these are the CUTEST cupcakes I’ve seen in a long, long time. So very clever, complete with the pretty straws, and you did a superb job decorating them (love the addition of lavender, of course)!
Late to comment today ~ electrical storms here = computer down.
OHMYGOODNESS! Those look good enough to eat!;>) I love the way you dressed them up with the straws. I can just see the kids pulling the straw out and licking the icing off it- they are so cute! xo Diana
Wow, looks like I’ve missed a whole lotta lavender lovin’ going on here this past week! I think my favorite are your crab cakes but I wouldn’t turn down a cupcake afterward :) Lovely pics and styling, as always!
Another sweet to tempt me! These look delicious and adorable dressed in their lavender finery. Cute idea to add the straws. Your abundant supply of lavender reminds me I need to make a trip to the farmer’s market to buy some more. My supply is running low. This has been a delightful week of lavender. I don’t want it to end.
I hope you saved one for me==must have it now after dealing with a billion weeds in my herb garden (I’m sure I killed everything with Round-Up). I have canned lemonade, cake mix, canned icing–staples in my kitchen. It’s all in the art of swirling the icing, and, well, you know I’m challenged in that area.
:-) But I shall try. You are always an inspiration and a joy to visit. xx
I came over from Susan’s just to say hello and to let you know that you lavender ladies did an outstanding job this week. Very creative and lots of work.
These look GORGEOUS! I’ve actually used the SL cupcake recipe before, but I never thought of adding lavender. GENIUS! (And as for your frosting confession—I think every woman should keep a container of it in the fridge for “sampling”! :)
Just finished making these. Haven’t eaten one yet, but the batter was yummy. Unfortunately, only made 19. Didn’t have a scoop, so used a 1/4 cup measure. Also used your cheating idea and went with the pre-made frosting. However, since they are coming to an ADK installation, I tinted the frosting with purple. Hope everyone likes them:)
I saw this post while trying to decide if I should add lavender to my lemon-flavored cupcakes and totally decided to jump in! The thought is making me SO excited! I bought a Pillsbury brand plain white cake (its the pure and simple kind with no preservatives). I added a lot of lemon juice and zest, that’s all I had. The lemonade sounds great! I ground up the lavender as suggested and threw it in! I feel like I am living in the south of France now, lol! Waiting for them to bake. :)
HI Mary,
I’d love to make these for my daughters garden wedding reception! I want the yard to be bursting with flowers everywhere. These would be ideal. However, I found no “printable recipe here” box for either the cupcakes nor the frosting from scratch. Please provide via email? There are lots of similar recipes online but yours sound the best.
Many thanks!
Hi Nancy, The links are there for the printable recipes, just not highlighted. I’ll change them so there more noticeable when I have a chance. The cupcake printable recipe is here and the 5 star cream cheese frosting is here. Good luck planning your daughter’s garden reception, it sounds beautiful!
I could eat one of your cupcakes for breakfast! Sp pretty too.
Good morning! I will have to try those cup cakes this weekend for my grandaughters birthday. Between the crab cakes and cup cakes we will be full of lavender and I’m sure we will all be ” mellow”?
Very pretty! Lovin’ the great cupcake wrappers too! Happy Weekend Mary:@)
These sound delicious and look beautiful!
Very pretty ! Looks so beautiful and delicious. Everyone loves a cupcake. Great photography. Your photos are always so well done.
They look delicious! Nothing wrong with a shortcut as long as the final results are yummy! Love the idea of using canned frosting and also, using the ice cream scoop to fill the cupcake liners…less mess and more accurate.
Hi Mary! The cupcakes look divine and so beautiful! You are simply the best food stylist. I know some people are a little snooty about canned frosting, but it IS good and oh so easy peasy and look what you’ve done with it!! Happy weekend, dear Mary.
~Mary~
Really now Mary, canned frosting??!!! along with just about everyone!! :) I wanted to run my finger right through those cupcakes, yum yum!!
Paula
In.
I laughed at your comment about gasping and teeth aching concerning bought icing. Your cupcakes are so pretty and you deserve some short cuts after the very busy week you have had.
Pretty tablecloth and great cake stand. Your styling is the best.
The cupcakes look so beautiful. I have used Lavender Salt on fish…need to try these cupcakes…and Lavender Lemonade too! Beautiful post…looking forward to the next one!
Gosh, these look good and I have no problem with canned frosting. You are so funny.
I haven’t had anything to eat yet and would LOVE one of those cupcakes…or 2!!!! They look so yummy! Have a great weekend you BUSY girl!!! XO
oh those cupcakes are FUN! i have to confess i can never use recipes that don’t have fresh lemons, my trees would kill me if i did… you are just brimming with lavender, look at the jar to the tippy top! oh this does sound so good, maybe if i made them here they wouldn’t know…its the sour cream that makes me weak, it makes things so extra moist… your pics are adorable, i so loving this world of purple we are all living in this week!
Yes, my teeth are hurting just thinking of that frosting! Confession time I will eat that frosting out of the can!!! oops my secret is out.
The recipe looks and sounds divine. I will be trying it out this weekend. Not sure if I can make the presentation as nice. I will give it my best.
Thanks
Had to laugh at your confession…I came out of the closet a couple of years ago and confessed I adore Peeps…Some of my foodie friends were shocked and some admitted to their own little secrets…
The batter sounds delicious! My niece who is a cake baker-decorator always adds a touch of sour cream to her cake batters.
I must ask…what tip did you use to get such beautiful swirls with your frosting?
Hi Sonia~ I used a 1M tip:
http://www.wilton.com/technique/1M-Swirl
just delightful Mary, I love how you have dressed them up for the photos, they look like ballerinas at the recital with their ruffly “tutu” papers! the little straws look adorable and the cupcake in the jar of lavender steals the show! The recipe sounds so good, I can’t wait to try it…as for the icing, I have my own guilty little secrets, I like Velveeta…shhh….
Mary, these are the CUTEST cupcakes I’ve seen in a long, long time. So very clever, complete with the pretty straws, and you did a superb job decorating them (love the addition of lavender, of course)!
Late to comment today ~ electrical storms here = computer down.
OHMYGOODNESS! Those look good enough to eat!;>) I love the way you dressed them up with the straws. I can just see the kids pulling the straw out and licking the icing off it- they are so cute! xo Diana
Wow, looks like I’ve missed a whole lotta lavender lovin’ going on here this past week! I think my favorite are your crab cakes but I wouldn’t turn down a cupcake afterward :) Lovely pics and styling, as always!
Another sweet to tempt me! These look delicious and adorable dressed in their lavender finery. Cute idea to add the straws. Your abundant supply of lavender reminds me I need to make a trip to the farmer’s market to buy some more. My supply is running low. This has been a delightful week of lavender. I don’t want it to end.
I hope you saved one for me==must have it now after dealing with a billion weeds in my herb garden (I’m sure I killed everything with Round-Up). I have canned lemonade, cake mix, canned icing–staples in my kitchen. It’s all in the art of swirling the icing, and, well, you know I’m challenged in that area.
:-) But I shall try. You are always an inspiration and a joy to visit. xx
These look so delicious…I just love cupcakes! I made your lavender brownies and they were a big hit. Hope to try these next!
The lavender cupcakes were beautiful, but I couldn’t take my eyes off that lovely tablecloth. I’m having French linens envy. :)
I came over from Susan’s just to say hello and to let you know that you lavender ladies did an outstanding job this week. Very creative and lots of work.
These look GORGEOUS! I’ve actually used the SL cupcake recipe before, but I never thought of adding lavender. GENIUS! (And as for your frosting confession—I think every woman should keep a container of it in the fridge for “sampling”! :)
I would have never thought to add the lavender to lemon flavored cupcakes. It looks delightful! Love those papers and straws, too. :-)
Just finished making these. Haven’t eaten one yet, but the batter was yummy. Unfortunately, only made 19. Didn’t have a scoop, so used a 1/4 cup measure. Also used your cheating idea and went with the pre-made frosting. However, since they are coming to an ADK installation, I tinted the frosting with purple. Hope everyone likes them:)
I saw this post while trying to decide if I should add lavender to my lemon-flavored cupcakes and totally decided to jump in! The thought is making me SO excited! I bought a Pillsbury brand plain white cake (its the pure and simple kind with no preservatives). I added a lot of lemon juice and zest, that’s all I had. The lemonade sounds great! I ground up the lavender as suggested and threw it in! I feel like I am living in the south of France now, lol! Waiting for them to bake. :)
HI Mary,
I’d love to make these for my daughters garden wedding reception! I want the yard to be bursting with flowers everywhere. These would be ideal. However, I found no “printable recipe here” box for either the cupcakes nor the frosting from scratch. Please provide via email? There are lots of similar recipes online but yours sound the best.
Many thanks!
Hi Nancy, The links are there for the printable recipes, just not highlighted. I’ll change them so there more noticeable when I have a chance. The cupcake printable recipe is here and the 5 star cream cheese frosting is here. Good luck planning your daughter’s garden reception, it sounds beautiful!
WOW just stumbled on your site I’m really excited to get blogging MY ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO OPEN “A TEA GARDEN CAFE”