Honey & Lavender Cupcakes - Recipe

Just in time for Valentine's Day...a little honey for your Honey!

For the cupcakes:
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
*(substitute for Earth Balance vegan margarine for baking)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup liquid honey (if you can find lavender honey it will enhance the wonderful flavor in these cupcakes even more)
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
*(substitute for Almond Breeze or Silk milk)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 heaping cup gluten free flour
pinch guar gum
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Beat the butter with an electric mixer on low-medium speed until whipped and fluffy looking. Add in sugar, vanilla extract and honey and beat until well combined. Gently beat in flour, guar gum, baking powder and salt  and milk on low speed until well combined. Spoon about 1/4 cup of batter into each well of a muffin tin lined with baking cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.

For the icing:
1 cup cream cheese, softened
*(Substitute for Tofutti plain tofu/soy cream cheese)
1 1/2 cups confectioners/icing sugar
1/3 cup honey
blue/green liquid food colour drops (if desired)
2 tbsp. dried lavender flowers
3-4 tbsp. slivered almonds (if desired)

2. Beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy. Beat in the honey and a few drops of food colour (if desired). Gently fold in 1 tbsp. of dried lavender flowers. Frost each cupcake using a beveled spatula or knife. Sprinkle each cupcake with the remaining lavender flowers (and slivered almonds, if desired).

Makes approximately 12 cupcakes