Lemon Lavender Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

For Tea-Infused Coconut Milk:

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1 Tea Forté Lemon Lavender pyramid infuser, or 1½ tsp of loose tea*

For Cupcakes:

• ½ cup the tea-infused coconut milk, cooled to room temperature
• 1¼ cup gluten free, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp sea salt
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt, plain
• 1 egg, room temp
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• zest of 2 fresh lemons

For Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 3 drops lemon essential oil, (we like doTERRA)
• 1½ tbsps of the tea-infused coconut milk
• Blue Majik ® spirulina powder
• maqui berry powder

Directions

For Cupcakes:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. To prepare tea-infused coconut milk, bring 1 cup of coconut milk to a boil in a small pot and remove from heat. Add Lemon Lavender tea and steep for 6 minutes, covered. Remove & discard the tea pyramid or tea leaves and allow coconut milk to cool to room temperature. Set aside half the steeped milk for the buttercream frosting recipe.
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the room temperature tea-infused coconut milk (1/2 cup), coconut oil, Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla extract and lemon zest.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until combined.
6. Fill lined cupcake trays ¾ full and bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when touched.
7. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

For Frosting:

1. Using a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment,whip room temperature butter on medium high speed for approximately 5 minutes. Occasionally scrape down sides of the bowl. Butter should be light, fluffy, and pale in color.
2. While adding half of the powdered sugar at a time, mix on the lowest setting until fully combined.
3. Add in vanilla extract, sea salt, and lemon essential oil, mix on low until combined. A note about essential oils: Not all essential oils are created equal. Ensure it is food grade and the highest quality possible. We love doTERRA.
4. Increase mixer speed to medium and slowly add 1 ½ of tea-infused coconut milk. We added a touch of Blue Majik Spirulina Powder and Maqui Berry Powder into the buttercream to give it a lavender hue and a superfood kick! A little of these powders goes a long way.
5. After all the ingredients are added, turn the speed up to high and whip for an additional 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
6. Once cupcakes are completely cool, add a star tip to a piping bag and fill with the frosting. Pipe the frosting starting from the inside out, swirling up as you circle around to the top of the cupcake. Garnish with fresh lavender buds, lemon zest, and edible viola flowers.

Yield: 12 cupcakes with frosting

* Lemon Lavender is available in loose tea canisters, or in pyramids within the Paradis and Lotus Collections.