Lilac season is here + Mother's day ideas!

 It’s lilac season, and just in time for mother’s day! Did you know that lilacs are an edible flower? I’ve never thought to eat it until I was snooping around trying to find things exciting ways to decorate with lilacs. It tastes just like it smells actually. Lilacs are my favourite flower, my mom enjoys them to. Try out one of these recipes for your mom for mother's day, they will make great gifts!

Lilacs definitely need to be displayed, they have an amazing aroma that can fill the whole room. They are so fragrant that everyone will be stopping to smell this flower when friends come to your house. Find your favourite vase and display! If you don’t own a lilac tree you can buy them at your local greenhouse that sells plants. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t smell right away, lilac trees need at least five years to mature and produce fragrance.

Myself, my family and friends give these cupcakes a thumbs up!

Lilac Vanilla Bean Cupcake Recipe

• 2+1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup lilac sugar (recipe follows)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• ½ cup heavy cream or whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons lilac syrup (recipe follows)
• 1 cup fresh lilac blossom (rinse well and pat dry with paper towels)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place liners in cupcake tray.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside
• Beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Add both sugars to the butter and stir until combined.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Beat in vanilla extract and lilac syrup.
• Add flour mixture and milk.
• Add in fresh lilac blossoms and stir together until the lilacs are throughout the mixture
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean
• Remove from oven and  let cool completely before frosting!

Lilac Syrup:

You will need:

• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• One cup Water
• 1+1/2 cups clean fresh lilac blossoms
• A few drops of purple food coloring (optional)

Directions:

•  Separate your lilac flowers from the stem (this can take a while)
• Make sure the lilac petals are rinsed off, then dried
• Place the flowers sugar and water together in a saucepan and heat on low.
• When the  mixture starts to boil turn the heat down to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens.
• Stir in the food coloring if you want
• Remove from heat, strain out the flowers and let cool completely.
• Place in sealed jar and store in a cool dark place.

For the Lilac Vanilla Buttercream:

You will need:

• one sticks butter, room temperature
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 1/4 cup lilac syrup
• 1 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• In a bowl whip together the butter, sugar, syrup, and vanilla extract
• Add the rest of the sugar
• Add the cream and blend throughly.
• I recommend you add more syrup or cream if it looks like your icing needs it. It can get to thick, or not lilacy enough
• Decorate how you wish with your favourite tip and flowers!

 Lilac Sugar:

You will need :

• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup lilac blossoms rinsed and patted dry

Directions:

• In a mason jar or any clean jar lying around your house layer ½ inch of sugar at the bottom of your jar, then layer ½ inch of lilacs. Keep doing this until you get to the top
• Give it a shake and make sure the flowers are distributed evenly.

·         Add a bow and your done! Perfect gift for someone! Make sure you store in a cool place

Lilac bath salt: (similar to the lilac sugar)

You will need :

• 1 cup epsom salts
• 1/3 cup lilac blossoms rinsed and patted dry

Directions

• In a mason jar or decorative item that closes tight, layer ½ inch of sugar at the bottom of your jar, then layer ½ inch of lilacs. Keep doing this until you get to the top
• Give it a shake to make sure everything has come together

·         Add a bow and your done! Perfect gift for someone! Make sure you store in a cool place

 Lilac, blackberries and cream: (great for a picnic with your mom)

You will need :

• 5 blackberries (or however many you would like)
• A few lilac petals
• 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or whipping cream

Directions

• Place all ingredients in a decorative bowl and stir together.
• This also can work with blueberries or any fruit you would like, but I prefer blackberries