Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 18 baking cups in muffin pans. Combine all the cupcake ingredients in a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and pale, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon the batter into the cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pans from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Then remove the cupcakes and cool on a rack.

For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer, until light and creamy. beat in the honey and a few drops of the food coloring. Stir in half the lavender flowers.

Spread the frosting onto the cupcakes and sprinkle with the reserved lavender flowers.

Store without frosting in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Variations:
Bitter Chocolate and lavender Cupcakes -- Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. After mixing the batter, fold in 1/2 cup ( 3 1/2 ounces) semisweet Chocolate chips.

Gumdrop and lavender Cupcakes -- Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. After mixing the batter, fold in 1/2 cup ( 3 1/2 ounces) fruit gumdrops to the batter.

lavender and Orange Flower Cupcakes -- Prepare the basic cupcake recipe. To make the frosting, combine 3 tablespoons orange flower water with the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar. beat well and stir in the lavender flowers.