Fresh FlowerTopped Pound Cakes

• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 9 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• Swiss Meringue Buttercream (vanilla-bean variation, page 305)
• Fresh edible flowers, such as marigolds, violets, pansies, or nasturtiums (see Sources, page 342)

1. Preheat oven to 325F.
2. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
3. Whisk together flour and salt.
4. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
5. Reduce speed to medium, and beat in vanilla.
6. Add beaten eggs in four batches, beating until each is incorporated.
7. With mixer on low speed, add flour in four batches; beat until completely incorporated after each.
8. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full.
9. Tap tins on countertop once to distribute batter evenly.
10. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
11. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
12. Cupcakes can be stored up to 2 days at room temperature in airtight containers.
13. To finish, use an offset spatula to spread cupcakes with a generous layer of buttercream, and top each with a few flowers.
14. Serve immediately.

flour, salt, unsalted butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs, swiss meringue, edible flowers

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/fresh-flower-topped-pound-cakes-389907 (may not work)