Preheat the oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and line two muffin pans with paper liners.
Heat the milk just until steaming (about 30 seconds in the microwave) and add the dried lavender. Set the milk aside to steep for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, strain out the lavender.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
Next, add the infused milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk just until combined-- you don’t want to overmix.
Divide the cake batter between the muffin tins, filling each one with about ¼ cup of batter (or ⅔ of the way full).
Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
For the Honey Buttercream:
Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy-- about 1 minute.
Next add the honey and mix on low speed until it has incorporated with the butter. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar has been incorporated, add the vanilla extract.
Turn the mixer to high speed and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy-- about 1 minute. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip.
Frost the cupcakes as desired and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Notes
This cupcake has a very subtle lavender flavor. For more intense lavender flavor, infuse the milk in step 2 with 2 tablespoons of lavender for 30 minutes.