Macarons

1. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (275 if you have a hot oven).
2. Sift together the powdered sugar, and almond meal into a large bowl. Discard any big bits.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add sugar and beat until stiff and glossy (stiff peaks).

4. Add the extract and however much gel food coloring you want (begin with dragging a toothpick in the color and add as you go), mix until fully incorporated.
5. Pour almond mixture in the bowl, and using a rubber spatula, fold the ingredients together. It should take no more than 20 strokes.
6. Deflate the egg whites but be gentle.
7. Once it is all incorporated (but still light and fluffy), transfer to a gallon Ziplock bag. Squeeze all the air and twist it closed.
8. Snip the corner with scissors.
9. Pipe dollops of batter slightly bigger than a Hershey’s kiss onto the parchment.
10. Lightly rap each sheet on the counter to get rid of air bubbles.
11. Let them sit (after all have been piped) for 30-60 minutes (30 minutes may be fine if it’s a very dry day).
12. They should be slightly dry to the touch and not stick to your finger when tapped.
13. Bake in the oven (watching carefully) one batch at a time for 15-20 minutes.
14. You know they’re done when you can pluck one from the parchment without it sticking.
15. Let them cool while you prepare your buttercream.

Filling

1. Beat the butter in the mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
2. When it’s light and fluffy, add the zest, extract, and lemon juice.
3. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until it’s proper consistency.
4. Add the cream.
5. Add more sugar if it’s too runny, more cream if it’s too thick.
6. Add food coloring and be sure to scrape the bottom.

Assembly

1. Match each cookie to another of the same size.
2. Pipe the filling, (in a Ziplock bag with the tip snipped) starting from the outer edge in a circle and ending in the middle.
3. Sandwich the two halves.
4. No filling should be on the edges.
5. Refrigerate in an airtight container for 24 hours or up to 4 days.
6. Take some out an hour before you want to eat them and let them come to room temp. Enjoy!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a muffin pan with 12 liners.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
5. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
6. Stir in the milk until batter is smooth.
7. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
8. Bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back to the touch.
9. Cool completely.
10. To make buttercream, beat butter in a stand mixer.
11. Add powdered sugar, a half cup at a time.
12. Add milk when mixture is too thick.
13. If mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
14. Add vanilla and gel food coloring and beat until incorporated.
15. Frosting should be thick but still spreadable.
16. To frost cupcakes, either spread frosting on each cupcake with a knife or put it in a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off and pipe onto each cupcake.
17. Decorate with sprinkles.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour both pans.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
4. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
5. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
6. Stir in the milk until batter is smooth.
7. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cupcakes are done when they spring back to the touch.
9. Cool completely.
10. To make buttercream, beat butter in a stand mixer.
11. Add powdered sugar, a half cup at a time.
12. Add milk when mixture is too thick.
13. If mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar.
14. Add vanilla.
15. Divide frosting into three bowls.
16. Using a toothpick, add varying amounts of lavender gel food coloring to each bowl. (i.e. one swipe for the first bowl, two swipes to the second bowl, and three swipes to the third bowl).
17. Mix all bowls until incorporated.
18. Frosting should be thick but still spreadable.
19. To frost cake, start with the lightest frosting on the top. Frost cake with an offset spatula, smoothing the frosting down the sides. In the middle, frost with the medium shade, and at the bottom, frost with the darkest shade. Use the spatula to smooth frosting for an ombre effect.
20. Decorate with sprinkles.

1. Mix all ingredients in a punch bowl. Chill until serving. Serve over ice.