These cupcakes go all out with flavor and lavender infusion. They are full of densely rich chocolate and infused with delicate lavender aromatic essence.
It’s a collision of rich chocolate and relaxing lavender all baked together in these lovely chocolate lavender cupcakes.
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What you will love about chocolate lavender cupcakes
We take the easy way by using a box cake mix and kicking it up a notch by using lavender infused milk, along with some chocolate additives for more richness.
You will love how these dainty cupcakes are full of flavor, but with minimal work.
Ingredients
We will be using dried lavender buds in this recipe. I understand if you don’t have this in your spice drawer already.
Good new is, you can easily find dried lavender at your local grocery store in the spice isle.
Lavender has become increasingly popular in the culinary world over the last decade or so.
It’s particularly popular in the world of coffee, from lavender lattes to lavender infused tea, and has found its way into many desserts.
Lavender is one of those herbs that has such a beautiful aroma to it!
The aromatics while making these cupcakes are delightful and you will find yourself giving into the relaxation that comes with the smell of lavender.
I used to put lavender oil blend on my babies when they were little to help them sleep (which helped me sleep).
In the world of homeopathic recipes, it has been long known to have sleep aid and calming properties to it.
These are the ingredients for lavender infused chocolate cupcakes:
- 1 box devil’s food cake
- Whole milk
- Dried lavender buds (for culinary use)
- 1 package (3.9 oz) instant chocolate pudding
- Eggs
- Vegetable oil
- Mini chocolate chips
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
- Purple food dye (optional)
How to make chocolate lavender cupcakes
Take 1 ½ cups milk (this milk will be used both in the cupcake batter and the infused buttercream) and put it in a medium size saucepan with the lavender buds.
Heat it over low-medium heat for several minutes until it is steaming. Don’t boil the milk! When it just begins to bubble along the side of the pan, remove it from the heat and let it steep with the lid on for about 10 minutes.
Pour the milk through a mesh filter or sieve and remove the lavender buds and discard them. Place the milk in the fridge to cool off for about 20 minutes. You don’t want to add it while it is too hot to the batter.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 cupcake pans with cupcake liners (makes 24 cupcakes).
In a large mixing bowl, add the devil’s food cake mix, instant chocolate pudding powder, eggs, vegetable oil and 1 ¼ cups of the lavender infused milk (once it has cooled off).
Reserve ¼ cup of the infused milk for the butter cream.
Beat the mixture together with an electric mixer for 2 full minutes. The batter should be very creamy and lump free. Fold in ⅓ cup of mini chocolate chips.
You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate, depending on your preference.
Evenly distribute the batter into the prepared muffin tins and bake them in the oven for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting them.
While the cupcakes are cooling, take the room temperature butter and put it in the bowl of a stand mixer with the powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
With the whisk attachment, cream the powdered sugar and butter together.
Slowly add the remaining lavender infused milk until you reach the desired buttercream frosting texture that you want.
You may add 1-2 drops of purple food dye if you want your lavender buttercream to take on that lavender color.
Put the infused buttercream frosting into a piping bag and pipe it over the top of the cupcakes.
Add some fresh lavender sprigs for presentation. Enjoy!
Storage
Cupcakes should be served right away. Any leftover cupcakes should be stored in the fridge since it is topped with a buttercream frosting.
Equipment
- Cupcake pans and cupcake liners
- Electric mixer
FAQ’s
Can I replace milk with water in a store-bought cupcake mix?
YES! Replacing water with whole milk not only makes your cupcakes taste richer, but it makes the texture better also, making it seem more homemade.
What does lavender taste like in baking?
Lavender is a simple aromatic to add to your favorite dessert and drink recipes. It is subtle and not overpowering.
It usually makes you just question “what is that?” when tasting the recipe. Lavender is more aromatic in scent than it is strong in flavor.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Lavender Cupcakes
Equipment
- Cupcake pans and cupcake liners
- electric mixer
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 package devils food cake 16.5 oz
- 1 package instant chocolate pudding mix 3.9 oz
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk will divide later
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender buds
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cups mini chocolate chips semi sweet or dark chocolate
For the buttercream:
- ¼ cup lavender infused milk
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- Purple food dye optional
Instructions
- In a medium size saucepan heat up 1 ½ cups whole milk and the lavender buds until it is steaming. DO NOT BOIL! As soon as it begins to bubble along the sides of the pan, remove it from the heat and put the lid on it, letting it steep for 10-15 minutes.
- Divide the milk: 1 ¼ cups and ¼ cups separated and place in the fridge to cool down.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the devil’s food cake mix, instant pudding powder, 4 eggs, vegetable oil, and 1 ¼ cups of the lavender infused milk (cooled off). Beat it together with an electric mixer for 2 full minutes.
- Ladle the cupcake batter evenly into the prepared cupcake tins.
- Bake it in the oven for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove them from the oven and let them cool completely before frosting.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the room temperature butter, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Cream together and slowly add the rest of the infused milk until it comes together into a frosting consistency. (add in food dye, optional)
- Place the frosting into a piping bag and pipe evenly onto the cooled lavender chocolate cupcakes. Enjoy!
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