Honeysuckle Cupcake

[Tenaya J]

Hi all! I'm trying to come up with a recipe for honeysuckle cupcakes (using honeysuckle syrup), but I don't know what kind of frosting I should use. I'm trying to capture the memory of sucking on a honeysuckle as a child, but in a cupcake, and I don't want to distract from the honeysuckle flavor. My friend suggested another floral flavor like rose, lavender, or lemon, but I feel like they distract from the honeysuckle flavor. My mother suggested vanilla. Any suggestions?

 

[Becky]

Ooh what a lovely idea! I used to do the same thing when I was a kid.

Honeysuckle is such a delicate flavour, I think if you incorporate an extra flavour it runs the risk of being overwhelmed. If it were me I'd probably make a vanilla cupcake (but go easy on the vanilla), brush them with the syrup, add the syrup to the buttercream, then maybe drizzle the frosted cupcake with more syrup so that when you take a bite, it's the first thing you taste.

The flavour would probably work well with elderflower, but it would be difficult getting the balance right.

 

[Tenaya J]

Ooh what a lovely idea! I used to do the same thing when I was a kid.

Honeysuckle is such a delicate flavour, I think if you incorporate an extra flavour it runs the risk of being overwhelmed. If it were me I'd probably make a vanilla cupcake (but go easy on the vanilla), brush them with the syrup, add the syrup to the buttercream, then maybe drizzle the frosted cupcake with more syrup so that when you take a bite, it's the first thing you taste.

The flavour would probably work well with elderflower, but it would be difficult getting the balance right.

Hi Becky! Thanks so much for the great idea, I'll play around with the elderflower. I'll update when I make them!

 

[Norcalbaker59]

I love florals. I regularly use them in food applications, especially elderflower and lavender.

@Becky suggestion of elderflower is an excellent idea. To me elderflower taste like a lovely combination of honeysuckle and kumquat.

If you live anywhere near a World Market or Whole Foods, both carry Belvoir elderflower products. My Whole Foods in the wine country stocks lightly carbonated elderflower lemonade. World Market stocks both the elderflower lemonade and the elderflower cordial. I prefer to use the cordial, But in a pinch I’ve used the elderflower lemonade.

Other flavor pairings that come to mind are based on classic pairings for honeysuckle teas and iced drinks: peach, melons, and cucumber. While melon and cucumber are problematic in a baking applications, peach is translated well.

A peach cupcake with a honeysuckle buttercream, or an vanilla cupcake with honeysuckle simple syrup and a peach buttercream.

If you wanted to go for warmer, richer flavors, an brown sugar, almond and nutmeg flavored cupcake with honeysuckle buttercream might be a nice flavor combination as well.

I’m thinking a berry like blackberry might pair nicely with honeysuckle as well.

Using a syrup is a good approach. I prefer to use florals in a simple syrup as I feel I it gives me more control. Lavender is the exception, preferring to infuse lavender in sugar instead.

Florals are tricky as they go from a lovely nuanced note to “OMG it taste like a bar of soap” in nothing flat.

Please let us know how it turns out.

 

[Tenaya J]

I love florals. I regularly use them in food applications, especially elderflower and lavender.

@Becky suggestion of elderflower is an excellent idea. To me elderflower taste like a lovely combination of honeysuckle and kumquat.

If you live anywhere near a World Market or Whole Foods, both carry Belvoir elderflower products. My Whole Foods in the wine country stocks lightly carbonated elderflower lemonade. World Market stocks both the elderflower lemonade and the elderflower cordial. I prefer to use the cordial, But in a pinch I’ve used the elderflower lemonade.

Other flavor pairings that come to mind are based on classic pairings for honeysuckle teas and iced drinks: peach, melons, and cucumber. While melon and cucumber are problematic in a baking applications, peach is translated well.

A peach cupcake with a honeysuckle buttercream, or an vanilla cupcake with honeysuckle simple syrup and a peach buttercream.

If you wanted to go for warmer, richer flavors, an brown sugar, almond and nutmeg flavored cupcake with honeysuckle buttercream might be a nice flavor combination as well.

I’m thinking a berry like blackberry might pair nicely with honeysuckle as well.

Using a syrup is a good approach. I prefer to use florals in a simple syrup as I feel I it gives me more control. Lavender is the exception, preferring to infuse lavender in sugar instead.

Florals are tricky as they go from a lovely nuanced note to “OMG it taste like a bar of soap” in nothing flat.

Please let us know how it turns out.

These are all fantastic ideas!! I might make two kinds - one purely honeysuckle and one incorporating some other fruity/floral elements. What a perfect summer cupcake!