Lemon & Lavender Cupcakes

A friend's birthday was this weekend so I thought I'd make the lemon and lavender cupcakes instead of a birthday cake. I went and tracked down some lavender and made my own lavender sugar, shaking it like maracas every day.

I didn't have instant royal icing and I couldn't find the meringue powder they use over here but I found a recipe on the net and proceeded to have an icing disaster. I'm a bit of a icing novice, otherwise I'd have realised that icing sugar and milk wasn't going to create the effect I was looking for. As soon as I'd spooned the icing onto the cupcakes it sank into the sponge, never to reappear, and however much I added it never formed a layer much to my dismay. I am also new to food colouring, a little goes a long way I hear you say? Nigella says we are looking for 'pastel serenity and not 70's record-sleeve murk', well we got murk... practice makes perfect! I'll try again when I get back from the UK in November with royal icing powder.

As for the lavender sugar I don't think it had time to absorb the oils and odeur as I couldn't taste not even the tiniest hint of lavender. The lemon ones were more flavourful, and I'll add a bit more lemon oil next time. I kept the cupcake tops for my friend Leonie (10 months) who ate nearly all of them! Cupcakes make your hair curl!