Lilac Cupcake Recipe

This easy recipe for Lilac Cupcakes is as delicious as it is unique. Fresh lilac flowers make a beautiful syrup and sugar to add to these baked treats. Decorate with candied lilac flowers and enjoy this springtime dessert!

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After smelling my fully bloomed lilac bush this spring outside my house, I wondered if there was a way to capture that scent in the kitchen. I found out lilac flowers are completely edible so the experimenting began! The flavor is subtle but beautiful and the candied flowers are a surprising treat. There are so many ways these recipes could be used, but of course I had to make cupcakes.

Below are the step by step recipes for Lilac cupcakes, Lilac frosting, Lilac syrup, Lilac sugar and Candied Lilac flowers. Whew! I also made a decadent Lilac Gin Cocktail with the syrup, see post HERE.

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)

strained lilac syrup in a jar without food coloring

strained lilac syrup in a jar with purple food coloring

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

sugar and lilac flowers in grinder before pulsing to make lilac sugar

homemade lilac sugar after being pulsed in grinder

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 cupcakes with candied lilac flowers and lilac frosting

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

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

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

candied lilac flowers covered in egg wash and superfine sugar 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.

This is a wonderful way to capture the scents of spring in the kitchen! Don't forget to PIN for later and sign up for my emails for even more easy, creative and delicious recipes!