LAVENDER HONEY CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 cupcake or muffin pans with 18 cupcake liners.
• Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Cream the honey, buttermilk and vegetable oil until they are immersed together, about 5 minutes, in the bowl of a stand up electric mixer with a paddle attachment. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add each egg one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition. Turn the mixer on low speed and add the flour mixture about 3/4 cup at a time. Slowly add the lavender flowers and lavender oil to create a smooth batter.
• Fill the cupcake liners three-quarters full with the batter and bake until golden brown and baked through, about 30 minutes. Cool the cupcakes completely.
• For the tangerine vanilla mascarpone cream: Blend the mascarpone, honey and vanilla by hand, until the cream is smooth and incorporated. Add the juice and zest. Mix for 15 seconds. Put the cream into a 24-inch pastry bag with half of the tip cut off. Mix together the sanding sugar and tangerine zest.
• Pipe the tangerine vanilla mascarpone cream on top of each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle the top with the sanding sugar mixture.