These Lilac Cupcakes with Lilac Buttercream have a subtle floral flavor and aroma that makes the most beautiful and delicious treat. Make homemade lilac syrup and lilac sugar from fresh edible lilac flowers to get the flavor in these cupcakes.
Lilacs are such beautiful and aromatic flowers. And guess what? They are edible! The minute I discovered that you could eat these special little flowers my first thought was to make Lilac Cupcakes with Lilac Buttercream and also my How to Make Candied Lilac Flowers.
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Why I Love This Recipe
These little baked goods taste as good as they sound using fresh lilac flowers. The flavor is subtle and the purple color of the frosting creates a beautiful presentation perfect for any occasion.
This recipe is a small batch recipe meant to only make about 10-12 cupcakes similar to my Passion Fruit Cupcakes. I always find this is perfect for my house (mostly for me so I don't eat them all 😂). If you want more cupcakes, feel free to double this recipe, or try my Lemon Lavender Cupcakes, and you are good to go.
How to Make Cupcakes with Edible Flowers
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
Step 2: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Mix in egg, lemon zest, and lilac syrup, then alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until fully combined.
Step 4: Fill liners with batter and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 5: Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 4–5 minutes. Mix in egg, lemon zest, and lilac syrup, then alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until fully combined.
Step 6: Fill liners with batter and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
How to Make Lilac Buttercream Frosting
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, whip the butter until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and mix in completely. Put in the vanilla, milk, and lilac syrup and combine.
Add the rest of the powdered sugar and continue beating until the frosting is smooth. Add purple food coloring and mix in completely.
How to Make Lilac Syrup
You can check out my post for the complete recipe to make Lilac Simple Syrup. You will need 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of fresh lilac flowers that have been rinsed and de-stemmed.
Bring the ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, remove from the heat, and allow the mixture to steep and cool for 2-3 hours. Once cool, add purple food coloring and store it in a sealable container.
How to Make Lilac Sugar
You can make your own lilac sugar in a small coffee/nut grinder, food processor, or blender. Place ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon fresh lilac flowers in the grinder. Pulse about 6-8 times just until combined.
Place the lilac sugar in an airtight container until you are ready to use it. You can store the sugar for several weeks in a sealed container.
Recipe FAQs
Ensure you use only lilac flowers that have not been sprayed with chemicals. Rinse the flowers and remove them from the stem before eating or using them in these recipes.
Not all lilac flowers are edible, and it's important to exercise caution when considering their culinary use. While some lilac varieties have edible flowers, others may be toxic. The common lilac (Syringa vulgaris), often grown for its fragrant flowers, is generally considered safe to use in small quantities for culinary purposes, such as in salads or as a garnish.
Yes, you can use artificial lilac flavoring or extracts if you prefer not to use real lilac flowers. These flavorings can provide a similar taste and aroma without the need for fresh flowers.
Store these lilac cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for several weeks without the frosting.
Yes, you can adapt this cupcake recipe to be gluten-free or vegan by using the correct flour substitutes and non-dairy ingredients like vegan butter and almond milk. Keep in mind the texture and flavor may change slightly.
More Edible Flower Recipes
If you get a chance to make these Lilac Cupcakes with Lilac Buttercream, tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me, or leave a review below! You can also follow me on Pinterest and sign up for my e-mail list to receive more fun and delicious recipes right in your inbox.
Lilac Cupcakes and Lilac Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- piping bag and tip
- small saucepan for syrup
- small coffee/nut grinder, food processor, or blender for lilac sugar
Ingredients
Lilac Cupcakes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temp
- ¾ cup lilac sugar (see notes)
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon lilac syrup (see notes)
- ½ cup milk, room temp
Lilac Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temp (2 sticks)
- 4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoon lilac syrup (see notes)
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
- purple food coloring (or red and blue)
- fresh lilac flowers for decoration
Instructions
Lilac Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a mixer or a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the egg, lemon zest, and lilac syrup and mix in.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix into the sugar mixture using a spatula or spoon (you don't want to overmix the flour!). Add half of the milk and combine. Repeat until all of the ingredients have been mixed in.
- Fill liners with batter and bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake. Allow the cupcake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then place them on a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Lilac Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, whip the butter until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and mix in completely. Put in the vanilla, milk, and lilac syrup and combine. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and continue beating until the frosting is smooth. Add the food coloring and mix in completely.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes using a piping bag and tip of choice (I used Wilton 2D). Add fresh lilac flowers on top of each cupcake for aroma and decoration. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Ensure you use only lilac flowers that have not been sprayed with chemicals. Rinse the flowers and remove them from the stem before eating or using them in these recipes.
- Make your own lilac sugar in your coffee grinder! Place ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon lilac flowers in your coffee grinder. Pulse until combined. Place in an airtight container until ready to use.
- Make your own lilac syrup by steeping lilac flowers in a simple syrup. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and 1 cup lilac flowers in a small saucepan. Being to a boil and remove from the heat. Allow the syrup to steep and cool for 2-3 hours. Strain the flowers from the syrup, add purple food coloring, and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Mandy says
I’ve tried these twice and the buttercream keeps splitting . What am I doing wrong?
Emily says
Hi Mandy, It sounds like your butter may be too cold. When you try again, you can add a few tablespoons of shortening to the mixture and ensure you beat it thoroughly until smooth. Or, if you have the same experience, warm up the bowl with your hands a little so the butter can emulsify. Feel free to send me pictures if you have any, but I hope we can get this right for you. I love these cupcakes!
Mandy says
I did let the butter sit out for a few hours. It seems to happen when I add the lilac syrup. I was going to try mixing the syrup with the milk before adding it, but I’ll try the shortening too. I’m not seeing an option to send a pic. Thanks for the reply.
Mandy says
I think I figured it out. I think the milk and lilac syrup were too cold when I put them in the buttercream. Do you usually use room temperature milk?
Emily says
Hi Mandy, to be honest, not always, but that could be what happened. I hope your next batch turns out awesome!
duniakagyan says
These look delicious! I will definitely try it.
Linda says
The frosting recipe says to add milk, but it is not listed in the ingredients. Just wondering how much?
Emily says
Hi Linda, sorry about that. 2-3 tbsp of milk for the frosting. Enjoy!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
This recipe is making me want to find a lilac tree somewhere to make it! Lilacs are my favourite type of trees and I am so intrigued by the syrup and sugar you've created. YUM!!
Emily says
Lilacs bloom super early here in the Pacific Northwest but I hope you find a tree soon. They are just so lovely on their own and fun to work with in the kitchen.
Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
Lilac is my favourite spring flower, and I had no idea it was edible! These must be the most beautiful cupcakes I've seen!
Emily says
I LOVE the way lilacs smell so I had to find out if I could get that fragrance in the kitchen and you can!!
Michelle says
These are so pretty! I think I'm going to make them for my sister's bridal shower.
Emily says
Great idea, these will be a hit at the shower!
Inga says
These look so beautiful! I love the color and the fresh flowers on top 🙂
Emily says
Thanks, Inga. Fresh flowers make everything better 😊.
Jeannie says
so beatiful cupcakes! how to eat 😋😋 interesting addition of lilac flowers
Emily says
Thank you!! 😊
Cooking with Carbs says
These look so amazing! I love making cupcakes with buttercream icing, but I've never used lilacs before. I love the idea that you're using these edible flowers to add to the flavor and aroma. I'll have to try this soon!
Emily says
Cooking and baking with edible flowers is fo fun...and delicious!
Jamie says
These are so delicious and beautiful! Love the color!
Emily says
Thanks, Jamie!
Nora says
What a lovely recipe! And those cupcakes are sooo beautiful! Can’t wait to try your recipe out! Thank you for sharing!
Emily says
You are really going to like this one, Nora.