Lavender Cupcakes

I was given some dried lavender flowers a few weeks back, and I used them to bake some lavender cupcakes this morning.  Lavender are often grown commercially for their medical and culinary uses.  Essential oil extracted from the flowers are known to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.  They are also often used as fragrances in bath products and toiletries because of the soothing and relaxing effects.  Chefs in France and United States like to use this herb in their cuisines.  Lavender is the key ingredient in the herbes de Provence mixture, and it is also a popular herb used in seasoning lamb.  Other than savory dishes, it is also used in sweet things like cookies and scones.  These pale purple flowers and flower buds give a floral, slightly sweet and elegant flavor to the cupcakes and they go really well with a nice warm cup of tea in the afternoon.