Making Honey Lavender Cupcakes with Sugar Whipped Bakery

When it comes to summer desserts, most people think of ice cream or snow cones. Little do they know that there’s a flavor of cupcake that’s as light and fun as summer itself. And that flavor is honey lavender. We met with Stephanie Samuel, owner of Sugar Whipped Bakery, to get an inside look at what it’s like to run an independent bakery and to find out how to make her signature honey lavender cupcakes. Her bakery and cupcake shop is located on a quiet street in Lititz, PA—a small, historic town in Lancaster County.

The Start of Sugar Whipped Bakery

After pursuing a career as an event coordinator, Stephanie decided to seek a different path in order to spend more time with her three kids. She had always enjoyed baking with her mother, so in 2010, she decided to join a local community kitchen and find out if running a bakery was something she’d like to do professionally.

When her work at the community kitchen really started to pick up, she decided to invest in a food truck to make it easier to transport her product and promote her brand. The food truck also helped her get a sense of the market and find out if a cupcake business was something the area needed. The response was wonderful, and she eventually realized it was time to find a permanent location all her own.

With an artsy vibe and small-town charm, Lititz was the perfect place for Stephanie to set up shop. While her current facility comes with its challenges (like limited electricity that can’t support a double oven), she has enough space to prepare for large events, and she even has a separate room for making gluten free desserts. But probably the best part of her current location on Main Street in Lititz is that she gets a decent amount of foot traffic and knows the mail carrier by name.

The Inspiration Behind Honey Lavender Cupcakes

Stephanie first got the idea for a honey lavender cupcake while she was on vacation with her family. They went to an ice cream shop that made honey lavender ice cream and she thought it would be a great flavor combination for a cupcake! And thus, the honey lavender cupcake was born.

She always tries to use local ingredients in her recipes whenever possible, so for this recipe, she sources locally made honey and locally grown lavender to give her cupcakes that extra special flavor element.

How to Make Honey Lavender Cupcakes

We don't want to give away all of Stephanie's secrets, so this recipe is a tad different from the cupcakes you'll find at Sugar Whipped. But, just like with any recipe, it's best to experiment with your own techniques until you come up with a recipe that you love.

Ingredients

Yield:18 (2 1/2 inch) cupcakes

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons dried lavender
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2/3 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Line your muffin tin with cupcake liners.
3. Beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, honey, salt, and baking powder and mix until creamy.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each one.
5. Alternate adding milk and flour a little bit at a time while mixing on low speed.
6. Once all the ingredients are combined, use an ice cream scoop to portion your batter into the muffin tin.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Once the cupcakes are cool, use a piping bag to apply your honey buttercream frosting.

9. Sprinkle with dried lavender.

So next time you’re looking for a sweet summertime treat, think beyond the ice cream cones and popsicles. Sugar Whipped’s signature honey lavender cupcakes have a delicate flavor that’s perfect for the warmer months. The honey cake isn’t overwhelmingly sweet and the buttercream frosting has a smooth texture that’s light as air. Add a sprinkle of lavender, and this dessert has all the whimsy of flowers and bees.

Posted in: Recipes | Interviews | By Jessica Wieser

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