Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cupcakes! Fluffy vanilla cupcakes flavored with lemon zest and lavender and baked with blackberries inside. These cupcakes are topped with lemon cream cheese frosting are perfect for any occasion!
I can’t think of a more perfect cupcake for spring than these fresh and floral Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cupcakes! They will brighten your day no matter what time of the year you make them!
I discovered how delicious lemon and lavender are together when I made this Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cake. I made this cupcake version because sometimes cupcakes are easier to share than layer cakes!
If you’re looking for more lemon treats, try my Lemon Sour Cream Cookies or more this Olive oil Meyer Lemon Tart.
THESE LEMON LAVENDER CUPCAKES ARE:
- MOIST AND TENDER: The almond flour and cream cheese frosting make this cake so moist and tender.
- LEMONY: These cupcakes are made with lemon zest in the cupcakes and the frosting!
- FLORAL: They have just the right amount of lavender which makes them perfectly hinted with lavender.
- FRUITY: These blackberry filled cupcakes are made with fresh blackberries are baked in the cupcake batter. They become sweet and jam like once baked.
- EASY: They look fancy, but believe it or not they are EASY to make!
WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF THESE CUPCAKES?
- LEMON LAVENDER CUPCAKES: These lemon and blackberry cupcakes are very easy to make!
- BLACKBERRIES: The blackberries are optional but highly recommended! Simply stick a blackberry in the middle of each unbaked cupcake. As the cupcakes bake, the blackberries will bake and get perfectly tender and sweet!
- LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: Rich and light frosting made with lots of vanilla and lemon zest. It brings out the flavor of the lemon in the cake and adds to the moist texture!
FLORAL INSPIRED BAKING
Recently I’ve been enjoying some new, more floral flavors. My Lemon Rosemary Olive Oil Cake is a rich, moist cake that gets a unique and lovely flavor from rosemary!
I also recently bought some rose petals and made these Rosewater Shortbread Cookies!
The other floral flavor I have been enjoying using lately is…you guessed it…lavender! My first recipe with lavender was these delicious Lemon Lavender Scones!
WHAT IS CULINARY LAVENDER?
Culinary Lavender refers to the type of lavender and the way it’s processed. English Lavender is the most common type of lavender used for cooking.
If the product doesn’t say “culinary lavender,” look to see what its recommended uses are. It should say it can be used in tea, baking, cooking, etc. For more information about Culinary Lavender, check out Sage Creations Organic Farm’s What Makes Lavender Culinary post.
WHERE CAN I FIND CULINARY LAVENDER?
You can find culinary lavender online. Locally, you can sometimes find it in farmer’s markets, health food or Middle Eastern stores.
INSTRUCTIONS
Below are instructions on how to make these lemon cupcakes with blackberry frosting. See recipe card below for detailed instructions and a complete list of ingredients.
- Combine the flours, baking powder, lavender and salt. Set aside.
- Using a mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and mix two more minutes.
- Stir in half the dry ingredients with a spatula. Stir in the sour cream (or yogurt) followed by the milk. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients.
- Evenly fill the cupcake liners 3/4 of the way full. Stick one blackberry in the center of each cupcake. Bake for 15-19 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Cool completely before frosting.
ABOUT THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
These cupcakes are so delicious as is, but become decadent and extra sweet with this rich lemon cream cheese frosting! The lemon flavor, blackberry tint, and luscious texture perfectly compliments these cupcakes!
This frosting can be made using a handheld mixer or in a stand mixer.
HOW DO YOU MAKE LEMON FROSTING FROM SCRATCH?
This homemade lemon cream cheese frosting is so delicious AND so easy!
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the cream cheese on medium until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar, 1/4 tablespoon of the pureed blackberries (milk or cream), lemon zest, vanilla extract and salt. Beat 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add up to a little more blackberry puree or milk until desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
HOW TO FROST THE CUPCAKES
Since these cupcakes feature lavender AND since we are just days away from spring, I had to pipe the frosting on in a floral style. This was my first attempt at piping hydrangeas and I love how they came out!
You need a star tip and a piping bag. I used my Wilton 1M tip. A Wilton 2D tip can also be used.
Transfer the frosting to the bag and place the tip directly over the cupcake. Apply pressure to the bag as you pull directly up and away. When you release, you’ll make a star/petal-like design.
Pipe around the edge of the cupcake then fill in the middle. Make sure to pipe each “petal” close together so you don’t end up with gaps.
WHAT COLOR SHOULD I MAKE THE FROSTING?
I pureed a few blackberries and added the blackberry puree to the frosting to thin it out and give it that pretty lavender tint. You can definitely use food coloring instead. I prefer blackberry puree since we also have blackberries in the cupcakes.
These cupcakes will also be pretty if you leave the frosting as is. It will be white/cream colored with specks of lemon zest!
Alternatively, you can scoop some of the plain frosting out into a small bowl and tint half of it and keep part of it white. Spread one color around the sides of the bag and spoon some of the other color in the middle of the piping bag. This will give your “flowers” two colors or a slight ombre look.
FAQ
Lavender cupcakes have a taste that’s similar to the way lavender smells. It’s lovely and floral, but can be an overpowering taste if too much is used.
You can make lavender infused syrup or milk from lavender flowers, use lavender extract or use lavender flowers. Since I had already bought some culinary lavender, I use that in this recipe.
Yes. Once baked, you can store these cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. I would recommend frosting them right before serving to have the best flavor.
These flavorful Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cupcakes are floral and fresh tasting. Everyone will love the blackberries baked inside and topped with creamy lemon cream cheese frosting! They are truly delicious. Lemon lovers and fans of cupcakes in general will love these fun cupcakes!
Lemon Lavender Blackberry Cupcakes
Ingredients
FOR THE LEMON LAVENDER CUPCAKES
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon culinary lavender
- 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 1/2 large eggs room temperature*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain whole fat yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk
- 12 blackberries 1 per cupcake
FOR THE LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 1/2 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 3/4 –2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- up to 3/4 tablespoon pureed blackberries or milk**
Instructions
FOR THE LEMON LAVENDER CAKE
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, lavender and salt. Set aside.
- In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a hand held mixer cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg.* Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and mix two more minutes on medium high speed.
- Stir in half the dry ingredients with a spatula. Stir in the sour cream (or yogurt) followed by the milk. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients.
- Use a 1/4 cup measure or an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter and evenly fill the liners 3/4 of the way full. Stick one blackberry in the center of each cupcake. Bake for 15-19 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center. Remove from oven. Cool cupcakes in tin for ten minutes then remove and transfer them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE LEMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and the cream cheese on medium until combined. Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar, 1/4 tablespoon of the pureed blackberries (milk or cream), lemon zest, vanilla extract and salt. Beat 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. If the frosting is too thick, add up to a little more blackberry puree or milk until desired consistency. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- To frost the cupcakes like hydrangea flowers, use a star tip (I used a Wilton 1M). Start piping along the outer edge of the cupcake and spiral inward.
Notes
*This site contains affiliate links which means that I may receive commissions for purchases made through these links. Please know I only link to products that I use and can recommend based on my experience!
Barbara Ward
Truly the ultimate when it comes to cupcakes