A mid-summer night gluten-free cupcake: lemon cake with lavender frosting

This recipe became a summer favorite. Perfect for mid-summer evenings when you need a little something sweet but not too rich. Tart, refreshing, cool, it's just what you need. These could be pretty good with a little bubbly too.



Lemon Cupcakes with Lavender Frosting a.k.a. Midsummer Night Cupcakes

• 10.5 oz. Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
• 2 whole eggs + 2 egg whites
• 1 1/4 natural cane sugar
• 1/2 c. light mayonnaise
• 2 1/2 T unsweetened applesauce
• 1 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 T lemon juice
• zest of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with baking cups. Sift together all of the dry ingredients. Crack eggs into a a large mixing bowl. Mix starting on low, increasing to high until eggs are bubbly and frothy. Add sugar and beat until thick, about 1 minute. Now, add mayonnaise through lemon zest. Mix slightly, until combined, being sure that no mayonnaise clumps remain. Scrap down sides and the bottom of the mixing bowl. Whirl it around again to combine all the stuff stuck on the bottom and sides. Next, add 1/3 of the sifted flour mixture. Mix on low until combined. Pour in 1/2 of the almond milk and mix on low until combined. And again, add the second 1/3 of the flour mixture.....and again, mix on low until combined. Add the remaining milk and you know what to do by now. Then finally add the last of the flour and yeah, that again....mix on low until combined. Scrap down sides and mix for a few seconds to combine everything. Scoop into baking cups and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 min. and test with a tooth pick. If tooth pick comes out with raw batter on it, keep baking until tooth pick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan, eat one, and continue to cool on a cooling rack.
Frosting

• 6 T. unsalted butter, softened
  
• 3 c. organic powdered sugar
• dash of salt
• 2 tsp dried lavender*, now this is subjective if you LOVE lavender go for it, taste and add more as you see fit but if you're weary of lavender in your frosting go for less--you can always add more as you taste
• 3-4 T. Almond milk
• 1 tsp-ish lemon juice
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 2 tsp almond extract

Beat butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, lavender, salt, and extracts and turn mixer on low. Slowly add milk. As the milk becomes incorporated and the sugar cloud disappears, increase mixer speed to medium and then to high. Beat until fluffy. Frosting should be creamy and fluffy but not runny. If you add too much milk and frosting is droopy, add a little more powdered sugar until it firms up. Likewise, if the frosting is too stiff and not sexy, spreadable add a little milk, just a little at a time, and beat a bit, until incorporated. Frost cooled cupcakes and enjoy! Garnish with a few lavender specks.

*dried lavender can be found at most natural food stores in the bulk herb and spice isle