These Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes with Lavender Buttercream are lusciously lemony and light and perfect for all your summer parties!
It’s the most wonedrful time of the year….
Memorial Day weekend is here my friends!
It’s full steam ahead to lazy days at the beach, cocktails on the porch and picnics and parties with friends and family!
So today, I’ve pulled out all the stops and we’re going to celebrate with my new fave, Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes with Lavender Buttercream.
Talk about a light and fluffy, yet incredibly moist cupcake. You’re going to love them!
And the lavender buttercream is such a fantastic complement to that luscious lemon flavor.
You know I’m not the expert cake or cupcake decorator, but I have to say I’m so happy with the way these turned out!
At the beach, all around the house, we’ve got the most beautiful hydrangeas, thanks to my husband Tom.
When we got married the plan was, I take care of the inside of the house, he takes care of the outside of the house, so he’s the master gardener.
When I was contemplating how to decorate these, I really wanted to try my hand at the hydrangea look.
I used my Wilton 2D piping tip and two different colors, a pale violet color and a cornflower blue color for the buttercream. Then I sprinkled the tops with some Wilton Sugar Pearls.
Talk about a showstopper for all your summer parties! And perfect for your next girls luncheon, baby or wedding shower too!
And you know, if I can do it, so can you. The hydrangea look was way easier than I thought to pull off.
I practiced a bit first on a plate and followed this tutorial, and it was a piece of cake, uh, cupcake!
I’ve used cake flour for a lighter cupcake with a softer crumb, added a heaping tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest for that pop of lemon flavor and swapped out butter for olive oil to cut saturated fat. Olive oil has monounsaturated fat, which helps promote good cholesterol, so these cupcakes are a total win-win!
Hope y’all have an AWESOME holiday weekend! Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Lemon Olive Oil Cupcakes with Lavender Buttercream Recipe:
I strongly recommend using cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. Your cupcakes will be lighter with a softer crumb.
This recipe will make 12 standard sized cupcakes. I’ve also used an 8-inch round cake pan to yield one single layer cake.
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 heaping Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp. dried culinary lavender, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- Wilton Sugar Pearls, for sprinkling, if desired
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 count muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder and salt.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat sugar and olive oil on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
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Add eggs, one at a time until well blended. Add vanilla and lemon zest and mix until well combined. With a spatula, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, half the milk, second third of flour mixture, remaining milk and last third of flour mixture. Do not overmix.
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Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack. While cupcakes are cooling make frosting.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer combine butter, sugar and culinary lavender. Beat on low speed until blended, about one minute. Add the vanilla and milk and increase speed to medium and continue to beat for 4 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add more milk, if necessary, until you reach a good spreading consistency.
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Divide the buttercream into two equal bowls. Add some of the violet gel to the buttercream in one bowl and some of the cornflower blue gel to the buttercream in the other bowl. Mix until well blended, adding more gel to reach desired color.
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To a large piping bag, fitted with the 2D tip (following the video referenced above) add the violet buttercream to one side of the bag and the cornflower blue buttercream to the other side of the bag.
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Pipe the top of cooled cupcakes as outlined in video. Sprinkle tops of cupcakes with Wilton Sugar Pearls, if desired.
Oh, these look so beautiful, Mary Ann…definitely like hydrangeas!! my flowers didn’t bloom last year for some reason and if they don’t this year, I’ll have to make these pretty cupcakes ;) Ha…actually, I’ll make ’em anyway! Pinned! Have a lovely weekend ahead.
Thanks so much Dawn! Happy weekend to you too!
Olive oil is so much in love with lemon :-) Mr. Lavender makes the picture complete. Bravo again !
Lol! Thank you. Happy weekend!
These are stunning Mary Ann! I bet the olive oil gives them such a great texture. I’m also no expert at decorating with frosting, but these look awesome. I’ll have to check out the tutorial you referred to and give it a try!
Thanks so much Leanne! Happy weekend!
You’ve nailed it! These totally look like hydrangeas! Nicely done!!! I’ve never used lavender to cook with. I’m going to have to give these a try.
Thanks so much Kathy! The lavender flavor is delicious. Not overpowering.
These are incredible! I LOVE hydrangeas! The only problem is I’d feel bad biting into such a beautiful work of art. Have a great weekend, Mary Ann!
Lol! Thanks Kelsie. Happy weekend!
Absolutely beautiful! And I love, love, love the flavor combination!
I love the flavor combo too Chris! Happy holiday weekend!
These are seriously the most beautiful cupcakes I have ever seen, Mare!! The hydrangea shaped buttercream decorating the top is absolutely STUNNING! And, the flavor sounds just delicious! I mean, these cupcakes are PERFECTION. Period!!! You should open a bakery, because I would stop by and purchase a few of these DAILY! Not to mention, I’d be purchasing them for every single party! ;) I bow down to your cupcake prowess! Cheers doll – to a wonderful Memorial weekend!
Oh, and Pinned. Obviously!
Awwww, thanks Chey! Way easier than I thought! Hope you guys have an awesome holiday weekend too! Enjoy a cocktail by the pool!
These are GORGEOUS, Mary Ann. Truly bakery picture perfect! I love how you followed the inspiration from the beautiful hydrangeas from Tom’s work to make an edible version!
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, my friend!
Thanks Marissa! Tom does such a wonderful job with the outside plants! The hydrangeas always look so beautiful! Happy Memorial Day weekend to you too!
Mary Ann, these look absolutely gorgeous! You are like, the master piper! Thanks for the link showing how to do it – as I’m looking at them I just can’t imagine how it’s done. The two colors in the frosting is so pretty. And lemon olive oil cake is so good!
Thanks so much Kelly! The lemon olive oil cake is so moist and delicious. It goes swimmingly with the lavender buttercream!
This combo of flavors is heavenly Mary Ann! And I love how beautiful decorated they are too!
Thanks Leigh Ann!
Talk about a showstopper! WOW! These are gorgeous, my friend! Almost too pretty to eat! And that flavor combination is heavenly! Suitable for your favorite time of the year!! Have a great weekend! Shared!
Thanks so much Annie! I hope you have a fabulous holiday weekend my friend!
Just stunning!!! LOVE the lavender buttercream!!! Wow!
Thanks Alice!
These are GORGEOUS Mary Ann. You have some serious decorating skills, my friend!! I love the flavours, colours and everything else about these! Have a great Memorial Day weekend, my friend!
Thanks so much Katherine! Hope you have a wonderful weekend too!
Not only do these look beautiful, but those flavours are just wonderful together. Just lovely!
Thanks Alex!
These are the prettiest cupcakes!! That lavender infused butter cream is wonderful!! I love anything infused with lavender – and you got the colour just perfect!!
Thanks so much Joanne! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
These are absolute perfection Mary Ann!
Thanks so much Matt! Happy Memorial Day!
Hydrangea is one of my all-time favorite plants! There’s nothing like that blue flower! And you’ve captured it perfectly. And don’t get me started on the lemon-olive oil cake. I’m going to have to (!) make these, no doubt about it!
Hope you enjoy them Laura!
These just sound and look so fancy! Love the flavor combos you’ve got going on here!
Thanks Kevin! Happy Friday!
Mary Ann, your cupcakes look stunning. I have never cooked with lavender but love the smell of it . I put lavender oil everywhere.
Thanks so much Gerlinde! Me too! Hope you enjoy your weekend!
You’ve outdone yourself with these, Mary Ann! They’re just so beautiful. I don’t have a huge sweet tooth, but I just can’t resist cupcakes… especially ones this gorgeous!
Thanks so much Natasha! XO
Wow – these look amazing, Mary Ann. Your desserts are always awesome! Love the two color frosting – so pretty and festive. How far in advance can you make these? Can I bake them the night before and store for a day or two before adding the frosting? Thinking about making these for a friend’s Bday. Hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day!
Yes, you can definitely bake them ahead of time Geraldine. I baked a double batch and froze 12 for company, then just took them out, defrosted and frosted. Hope you have a great Memorial Day too!
Just beautiful! I love a good cupcake anytime, so I”m loving this delicious combination. The lavender buttercream is calling me and so perfect with the lemon!
Me too Jennifer! You’d really enjoy the buttercream.
These are just about the prettiest cupcakes I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen quite a few! I love the combination of blues and lavenders, they’re spectacular.
Thanks so much Sue! I bet you’d love the lemon lavender combination!