Turn plain vanilla cupcakes into wonder with lavender essential oil. Add a dollop of homemade buttercream frosting with a drop of orange essential oil for a truly unique homemade cupcake recipe.
I bet you think this flavor sounds crazy. That cupcake up there looks like a plain Jane vanilla cupcake. This cupcake is going to blow your mind. This cupcake flavor combination is unique and exquisite. It is perfect for any spring event.

We tend to think of lavender more as a scent than a flavor, but a few years ago I tried lavender gelato and it was amazing. So I figured lavender cupcakes had to be delicious. I wasn’t so sure about topping homemade cupcakes with orange frosting, but I went for it.

To make the cupcakes, you will use a lemon cupcake recipe and switch out the lemon oil for lavender essential oil.* Lavender essential oil is very strong and you only need 1-2 drops of oil in the batter. Start with one drop and go from there.

The cupcake is topped with a basic homemade buttercream recipe using all butter. I’ve been playing around with buttercream recipes and using butter or shortening or both. I really prefer the straight butter because it makes the frosting lighter and fluffier, but it doesn’t quite set as well. So if you need the buttercream to sit well, add in some shortening by decreasing the same amount of butter.
I used milk as the liquid in the frosting, but orange juice would work, too. You don’t need the juice for the flavoring, though. The orange essential oil provides plenty of orange flavors.

The frosting is piped on using a Wilton 1M tip. I bought a Wilton Cupcake Decorating Kit a few years ago and it has everything you need to frost pretty cupcakes.

If you aren’t brave enough to try lavender cupcakes – check out these lemon cupcakes with blackberry frosting instead!
*I use Young Living Essential Oils, which are safe to eat. Not all essential oils are edible. Due to lack of purity, 98% of essential oils sold should NOT be ingested. An edible essential oil will be labeled “therapeutic-grade” and have a “Supplement Facts” box on the label showing the nutritional value – do NOT use just any brand of essential oil for cooking/flavoring foods. Be sure to use pure oils from reliable sources, not synthetic scents or flavorings.
Lavender Cupcakes with Orange Frosting

Lavender cupcakes topped with orange frosting are an unusual, but delicious, treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cupcake recipe
- 1 drop edible Lavender Essential Oils
- 1 cup butter, softened
For the Frosting:!
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon milk (more or less to get correct consistency)
- 1-2 drops edible Wild Orange essential oils
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Prepare cupcake recipe according to directions replacing the lemon oil with 1 drop of lavender oil.
- Bake according to the recipe.
For the frosting:
- Cream together all ingredients.
- Frost cooled cupcakes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 163Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 19gProtein: 0g
Looks and sound delicious but Is the fat and sugar content correct on this 😱?
No! The company that runs the recipe cards sold out and I’m waiting for a new product to be released this summer. I can’t figure out where they are pulling these numbers. I think it’s the entire recipe.
Do these need to be kept cold during the summer when outside. I was thinking about making some for a lavender festival to pass out.
They are like any other cupcake! I find buttercream melts easily when warm so maybe try a different kind or use all shortening instead of butter.
Young Living Essential Oils are not pure and not safe to ingest. They have pesticides in them and go bad quickly, been there and tried that, so be careful.
That is not true at all. Where did you get your information from?
Tina that is completely untrue. Young Living Essential Oils are the purest and can be depended on for safety externally and internally. Our Vitality line is specifically for internal use. We test in house to ensure strict standards are met and then we send out for 3rd party testing. Young Living has been around for 24 years and continues to grow. There is no other company/brand of essential oils that I would use for myself or my family.
The cupcakes are beautiful! The flavor combo sounds amazing. 🙂
I am curious about consuming the oils. Is there a way to find out if my essential oils are safe to consume?
I haven’t been brave enough to try anything edible with lavender, but I am now. Beautiful presentation!
It’s different for sure and you only need a touch of it!
Who couldn’t be brave enough to try these?! They look delicious. Just stopped in from Sunday Features and your pics are totally selling me on lavender cupcakes. Beautiful!
When you make these, do you omit the lemon juice and zest as well, or keep those?
Yes! It’s just a vanilla cupcake recipe I added flavoring to so you could use your favorite recipe or even a box mix and just add the lavender.
Thanks for sharing with us at Best of the Weekend – these will be featured on my blog tonight!
Thanks for the feature, Deb!
These look super moist & scrumptious! Never would have thought to include the lavender oil, but I can bet it would be a relaxing type recipe!! I enjoy using lavender for that very reason 🙂
Thanks for sharing this on this week’s Mom 2 Mom Link Up Party 🙂 Hope you join us again, Rachael @ Diamonds in the Rough
These are really cute cupcakes. I’ve never thought of using lavender oil in them! Thank you for linking up at #PureBloglove Link Party! The party begins every Thursday night at 8 p.m. EST. and runs through the week end. I’m hosting at http://www.homemadefoodjunkie.com. I would love to see more of your ideas!
These look so yummy and I love all of the colors in the photos, great job! Thanks for sharing, I will have to try these!
Thanks so much Melissa!
I have been seeing more and more ways to use essential oils not only for health, but in recipes, how great is that to infuse good health into our diets.
Thanks for stopping by to link and share on The Oh My Heartsie Girl WW this week!!
We appreciate you shared your blog with us!!
Have a great week, Karren~Host
Thanks, Karren! I love cooking with my oils.