Whimsy Peach Cupcakes

This post is really late in coming, but it's worth the wait.  This recipe was created by Vicki from Sweets at Vicky's.  We met her at our table at the Kings County General Store several weeks back; she was visiting New York from Singapore, and had already bought our Lavender-Lemon syrup a few days back and used it to make cupcakes.  Don't they look amazing?

Photo by Vicki

Here is the recipe:

Scented Vanilla Cupcakes (adapted from Sweets at Vicky's; makes 24 cupcakes)
2 cups white rice flour
1/2 cup GF oat flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch flour
1/4 sweet rice flour
1 tablespoon + 2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp Royal Rose Lavender-Lemon syrup
Pinch of salt
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
5 eggs, room temperature
2 sticks + 2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 3/4 cup caster sugar

1) Preheat oven to 175°C. Line 24 muffin tins with paper liners.
2) Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time.
3) Mix the flours, baking powder and salt together. Add the flavouring syrup to the milk.
4) Add in the flour and milk alternately, starting and ending with the flour. Beat on high for 30 seconds. Divide evenly into cupcake tins. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
5) Leave to cool for 10 minutes in tray before removing to cool completely.

Peach Buttercream
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3-4 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp Royal Rose Lavender-Lemon syrup
1 large, very ripe peach

1) Cut the peach up into segments and crush with your hands. Strain the juice from the peach. Also, set aside some of the flesh and the pink skin.
2) In a bowl, beat the butter and 3 cups of icing sugar together. Add in the Lavender-Lemon syrup and 2 tbsp of the peach juice. Beat well. If icing is too soft, keep adding the icing sugar, 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency.
3) Mix in the peach flesh and skin. This will impart some colour and bite. Frost cupcakes.

To Assemble
Place a heaping tablespoon of the frosting on each cupcake. Swirl with a palette knife and top with extra peaches if desired.