Caramel Glazed Apple Spice Cupcakes

6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 cups applesauce
3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans (optional)

Preheat oven to 180c. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners.In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until lght and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract.In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices. Add one third of this mixture to the butter mixture, stirring to incorporate, followed by half of the applesauce. Repeat with the rest of the flour and applesauce and mix only until no streaks of flour remain in the batter. Stir in pecans, if using.Divide evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 24 cupcakes.

Caramel Glaze
2 tbsp butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 salt
2 1/2 cups caster sugar

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Stir in brown sugar, milk and salt. Bring to a boil and boil for about two minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in powdered sugar. Frosting should be somewhat thick, but not stiff. Drizzle over cupcakes.

from http://bakingbites.com/2007/11/caramel-glazed-apple-spice-cupcakes/

Lavender Cupcakes

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.