Fresh Lilac: a Cocktail and a Cupcake!

The tail of a Cocktail and a Cupcake continues and since it's spring, Fresh Lilac is the theme this month. Homemade lilac syrup and candied lilac flowers add a unique and delicious flavor to both of these treats!

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I just found out lilac flowers are edible and I am so excited to share these recipes with you! You need fresh, clean lilac flowers (no chemicals used) to make these recipes which means you have to make them in the spring, but it's worth the wait! Below are recipes for a Lilac Gin Cocktail, Lilac Cupcakes, Lilac Frosting, Lilac Syrup, Lilac sugar and Candied Lilac Flowers. That's a lot of lilac!!

Lilac Cocktail Ingredients

2 oz. gin

1 oz. fresh lemon juice

1 oz. Lilac syrup

1 egg white

fresh lilac flowers for garnish and aroma

1. Dry shake egg white, gin, lemon juice and lilac syrup for 20 seconds.

2. Add ice to shaker and shake again for another 20 seconds.

3. Strain through fine mesh strainer into a cocktail glass.

4. Add fresh lilac flowers for garnish, the aroma will also enhance this drink.

Lilac Cupcake Recipe

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp

¾ cup lilac sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons lilac syrup

½ cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line your cupcake pans.

2. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl together: flour, baking powder and salt.

3. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

4. Beat in egg and lilac syrup.

5. Add about a third of the dry ingredients and mix in.

6. Add half of the milk and mix.

7. Add another third of the dry ingredients, mix.

8. Add the rest of the milk and dry ingredients and mix just until combined.

9. Fill liners with batter and bake for 20-23 minutes.

10. Cool, frost and enjoy!

Lilac Frosting Recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

4-6 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

4-5 teaspoons lilac syrup

purple gel food coloring (or red and blue)

fresh or candied lilac flowers for decoration

1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. 2. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.

3. After 4 cups, add vanilla, milk, lilac syrup and food coloring.

5. Continue to add the rest of the powdered sugar until desired sweetness and consistency is achieved.

6. After frosting, decorate with lilac flowers for decoration and aroma. Enjoy!

Lilac Syrup Recipe

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh lilac flowers (washed and separated from stems)

*only use flowers that have not had any pesticides or chemicals on them

1-2 drops purple food coloring (or red and blue)

1. Place all ingredients except food coloring in a small saucepan on stove.

2. On medium-high heat, bring to a boil while stirring constantly.

fresh purple lilac flowers in a pot to make lilac syrup.

fresh purple lilac flowers cooking in a pot of sugar and water to make lilac syrup.

lilac flowers steeping in water and sugar to make lilac syrup.

3. Remove from heat and let mixture steep as it cools completely (at least 2-3 hours).

4. Strain liquid into a container with a lid.

5. Add food coloring if desired (photos below show before and after food coloring).

fresh lilac flower in saucepan to make lilac syrup

lilac flowers boiled in sugar and water to make lilac syrup

fresh purple lilac syrup in mason jar

Lilac Sugar Recipe

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup fresh lilac flowers

Add to grinder or food processor and pulse just a few times until flowers are completely incorporated. It doesn't take much. I use my old coffee grinder and it works great! I would recommend making this ahead and storing in a sealed container for at least a few hours. The longer it sits, the more flavor gets into the sugar.

sugar in grinder and fresh lilac flowers in measuring cup to make lilac sugar

fresh lilac flowers and sugar in grinder to make lilac sugar

homemade lilac sugar in glass bowl

Candied Lilac Flower Recipe

Fresh lilac flowers (washed, dried and separated from stems)

*only use flowers that have not had any pesticides or chemicals on them

1 egg white

1 teaspoon water

½ cup superfine sugar (you can make this in your grinder or food processor)

1 small, clean paintbrush

1. Beat egg white and water with a fork until bubbly.

2. Place clean, dry flowers in wax paper.

3. Take each flower individually, paint completely with egg wash.

4. Place painted flower in a small dish with superfine sugar, shake until completely covered with sugar.

5. Place back on wax paper and allow to dry completely, this takes a few hours.

superfine sugar, fresh lilac flowers and paintbrush to make candied lilac flowers

superfine sugar and lilac flower covered in egg wash to make candied lilac flowers

candied lilac flowers drying on wax paper

These will last a day or two. If you completely cover the flower with egg wash, it's more likely to stay purple. Store in airtight container.

I hope you try one or all of these lilac recipes. It’s fun to experiment with new flavors and to use things you already have but never thought of eating. Enjoy!