Camp Cupcake: Lavender-iced Brownie Cupcakes

When I first started this project, one of my favorite parts about it was making connections with people over baked goods. There were times when I would stop and think about the people in my life that needed a treat at that moment. I still maintain that we would all get further with one another if we conducted business by first offering each other something homemade. To me, baked goods indicate "I took time out of my life to bake something for you because you are important to me." I think this is why girls take cookies to boys in whom they have interest. I think this is why coworkers pounce on plates of homemade goodies faster than those in the storebought containers (unless they are Oreos). It feels good to think that someone thought about you in the daily progression of his or her life as a person, and not as an assignment, or a piece of furniture to be taken for granted.

But, the reality is, after I started this project, my life got busier, and I became more self-focused. It's a terrible excuse, but that's how I rationalized my behavior. In order to make it easy for me, I had to build it into my routine, which meant I began baking 6 batches of cupcakes a month: one a week for work, one for Relief Society on the week when I teach, and one for Mix 'n Munch on the third Sunday of the month. If I have leftovers from work, I generally drop them off at the Institute Building (where religion classes are held and people tend to just hang out during the day). If there are leftovers in Relief Society, guys generally descend on them as soon as we're done. What I am saying is that I have stopped going out of my way for people, which was one of the things I originally liked about this project.

This week, after our work meeting, I spent literally five extra minutes taking the leftovers to the receptionists, who I tend to forget, and the security guards who work the desks at the entrances to the hospital. One of them said he was craving something sweet. I happened on another as he was describing some recent training he had received for how to handle a shooter in the building (if that doesn't warrant some chocolate, I don't know what does). I have since resolved to do a better job of going out of my way for people.

These cupcakes seem like they should be served at a tea party. The icing is not only dyed lavender, but it is also infused with lavender.

The lavender provides a delicate flavor which, surprisingly, complements the brownie very nicely.

I filled the liners too full. The brownies aren't supposed to rise over the top.

In the end, I sawed the tops off of the brownies to make them easier to ice. Don't worry-I didn't waste these tops.

Martha, of course, also insists that the brownies be topped with crystallized flowers. They sell edible flowers at my grocery store (these would be flowers that do not have pesticides on them). I bought some and attempted to crystallize them.

Here was the end result:

I ended up not using them.

Here is a link to the recipe. I did not get a picture of my finished cupcakes, so I have included the picture on Martha's site, on the off chance you have no plans to click on the link.

Rest assured, mine looked just like that.