125g self-raising flour
125g very soft unsalted butter
125g lavender sugar, sieved
2 eggs
pinch salt
few tablespoons milk
FOR THE ICING:
250g Instant Royal Icing powder
violet food colouring paste
handful real lavender stalks
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6 and line a 12-bun cupcake or muffin tin with paper cases.
Take butter, eggs and milk out of the fridge in time to make sure they're at room temperature. Mix all the ingredients for the cupcakes, except for the milk, till totally combined. Process again, adding enough milk to make a batter with a smooth, flowing texture, then spoon and scrape the batter equally into the waiting cupcake cases.
Bake for about 20 minutes, by which time the sponge should be cooked through and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven, leave for 5 minutes or so, then arrange the cupcakes in their paper cases on a wire rack to cool. Make the icing according to packet instructions, dyeing the mixture a faint lilac with a spot or two of food colouring.
Top each cupcake with a little sprig of lavender before the icing's set dry.
