Edible-Flowers Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour and salt.

2. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium, and add vanilla. Add eggs in 4 batches, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture in 4 batches, and beat until completely incorporated.

3. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Tap tins on countertop once to distribute batter evenly. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; transfer cupcakes to racks, and let cool. Cupcakes will keep, covered, at room temperature, up to 2 days.

4. Frost cupcakes with a generous layer of buttercream, and top each with a few edible flowers. Serve immediately.

Cook's Notes

Some of the best-tasting edible flowers include nasturtiums, pansies, hibiscus, snapdragons, and violets. Use only flowers that are grown without pesticides.