Mini Lavender Blueberry Cupcakes

steps

1. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and whipped, about 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just combined.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. In another bowl, combine milk and vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the dry ingredients into butter mixture, followed by a third of the milk mixture. Repeat twice more until all ingredients are just incorporated—do not overmix.
3. Line a mini cupcake pan with liners. Fill each about ¾ full. Place 2 to 3 blueberries in batter of each cupcake. Bake until pale golden yellow and tops spring back when lightly touched, about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the buttercream: In a mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in salt and lavender extract. With electric mixer on medium speed, add powdered sugar and heavy cream in alternating batches. Beat until combined, then add violet food coloring to reach desired shade.
5. Set cupcakes aside until just barely cool, then ice with buttercream—icing quickly helps keep cupcakes moist. (If waiting to ice, keep covered with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.)
6. Make the sugared blueberries: Rinse blueberries, then lightly blot dry so they’re moist but not wet. Place sugar in a small bowl. Drop in a few berries at a time and lightly shake to coat with sugar. Carefully place berries on top of each cupcake, pushing down slightly so icing will hold in place.

From The Sweet Life.