so, for a little while now i have been alluding to some projects that have been developing over here at newfoodtuesdayz. now, i have to keep the BIG news under wraps for a little longer (no i am not pregnant... everyone can stop asking me). but the new project involves LOTS of new recipes.

so i'm playing around with different options for my signature muffins and so far, this lavender and blueberry combination is in the lead. the blueberries make it a classic, and the lavender gives it the perfect newfoodtuesdayz twist. wes ate five in one sitting so i'll consider them a success. 

lavender + blueberry muffins

prep time: 5 minutes

active time: 10 minutes

bake time: 25-30 minutes

total time: 45 minutes

ingredients: .5 cup softened butter. 1 cup sugar. 2 room temperature eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .75 tsp kosher salt. .5 cup whole milk. 2 tsp freshly chopped lavender leaves. 1 tsp orange zest. 2 cups blueberries. cupcake/muffin tin. muffin cups. stand mixer or hand mixer. 

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. in the bowl of your stand mixer or large bowl, combine the sugar and butter.

with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar over medium speed until completely combined and fluffy. while the butter and sugar are mixing together, add in the lavender leaves.

once the butter and sugar are creamed together, add in one egg at a time until your mixture is fluffy and light yellow.

pour in the vanilla extract.

combine all but 2 tbs of your flour, the baking powder and salt together. add half the dry ingredients mixture to your batter. pour in half the milk. add in half the remaining dry ingredients.pour in the rest of your milk and finally finish off with the remaining dry ingredients. scrape down the sides of the bowl. chop up .5 cup of the blueberries and toss the whole blueberries with the remaining flour so they do not sink in the batter.

add the smashed and whole blueberries to the batter. mix till the blueberries are just combined.

scoop about 3 tbs of batter into each muffin cup. bake the muffins till lightly golden on the top and a toothpick comes out clean when you prick the center of the muffin. about 25-30 minutes.

allow to cool slightly and store, lightly covered with a cloche or eat warm with butter. 

xo, a

lavender + blueberry muffins

prep time: 5 minutes

active time: 10 minutes

bake time: 25-30 minutes

total time: 45 minutes

ingredients: .5 cup softened butter. 1 cup sugar. 2 room temperature eggs. 1 tsp vanilla extract. 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .75 tsp kosher salt. .5 cup whole milk. 2 tsp freshly chopped lavender leaves. 1 tsp orange zest. 2 cups blueberries. cupcake/muffin tin. muffin cups. stand mixer or hand mixer. 

start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees f. in the bowl of your stand mixer or large bowl, combine the sugar and butter. with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar over medium speed until completely combined and fluffy. while the butter and sugar are mixing together, add in the lavender leaves. once the butter and sugar are creamed together, add in one egg at a time until your mixture is fluffy and light yellow. pour in the vanilla extract. combine all but 2 tbs of your flour, the baking powder and salt together. add half the dry ingredients mixture to your batter. pour in half the milk. add in half the remaining dry ingredients. pour in the rest of your milk and finally finish off with the remaining dry ingredients. scrape down the sides of the bowl. chop up .5 cup of the blueberries and toss the whole blueberries with the remaining flour so they do not sink in the batter. add the smashed and whole blueberries to the batter. mix till the blueberries are just combined. scoop about 3 tbs of batter into each muffin cup. bake the muffins till lightly golden on the top and a toothpick comes out clean when you prick the center of the muffin. about 25-30 minutes. allow to cool slightly and store, lightly covered with a cloche or eat warm with butter. 

as previously expressed, i have kumquats coming out of my ears. but, i'm kind of loving it. it has me hyper focused on one ingredient and figuring out all the wonderful things i can do with that ingredient. 

plus, if you haven't noticed, they are really freaking adorable. 

so i'm getting very creative with kumquats. kumquat squares. kumquat jam. kumquat cocktails. 

but my favorite so far has been these lavender + kumquat cupcakes. 

one of the women i work with at one of my yoga studios and her friends bought a whole lavender plant when they made my lemon + lavender cake and were so sweet to give me the plant when they were done. and i've absolutely fallen in love with it. lavender has proven to be an amazing compliment to the tart and sweet kumquats and together they made a scrumptious cupcake.

lavender + kumquat cupcakes
serving size: 18 cupcakes
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 15-20 min
total time with frosting: 1.5hrs
ingredients: 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. .5 cup shortening. 2 eggs. 1.5 cups sugar. 1 tbs diced kumquat (about 2 kumquats). 1 tsp lavender leaves, minced. 1 tsp lavender flowers, minced. .75 cups buttermilk. .5 cups whole milk .5 tsp vanilla extract. .5tsp almond extract. 

preheat your oven to 350 f. with a mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening.

while the shortening and sugar are being worked, combine the extracts, kumquats and lavender in a small bowl. 

with the mixer on a medium speed, add in the eggs until just combined. then add in the kumquat, lavender, extract mixture. 

still on medium, pour in the milk and buttermilk and mix till smooth. 

with the mixer on a slow speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined. 

spoon the mixture into a large ziplock or piping bag. 

into prepared cupcake pans, add 2-3 tbs batter to each pan. 

bake until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. about 15 to 20 minutes
allow to cool completely.
frost with cream cheese frosting and serve. 

xo, a

lavender + kumquat cupcakes
serving size: 18 cupcakes
prep time: 10 min
bake time: 15-20 min
total time with frosting: 1.5hrs
ingredients: 2 cups flour. 2 tsp baking powder. .5 tsp salt. .5 cup shortening. 2 eggs. 1.5 cups sugar. 1 tbs diced kumquat (about 2 kumquats). 1 tsp lavender leaves, minced. 1 tsp lavender flowers, minced. 75 cups buttermilk. .5 cups whole milk .5 tsp vanilla extract. .5tsp almond extract.
preheat your oven to 350 f. with a mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and shortening.
while the shortening and sugar are being worked, combine the extracts, kumquats and lavender in a small bowl.
with the mixer on a medium speed, add in the eggs until just combined. then add in the kumquat, lavender, extract mixture.
still on medium, pour in the milk and buttermilk and mix till smooth.
with the mixer on a slow speed add in the dry ingredients until just combined.
spoon the mixture into a large ziplock or piping bag.
into prepared cupcake pans, add 2-3 tbs batter to each pan.
bake until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. about 15 to 20 minutes
allow to cool completely.
frost with cream cheese frosting and serve.