Delicate Aromatic Lavender Cake (Print View)
Delicate aromatic cake infused with fragrant culinary lavender, topped with zesty lemon glaze.
# What You Need:
→ Cake Components
01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 tablespoons culinary lavender buds, finely chopped
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - ½ cup whole milk
→ Lavender Syrup
10 - ¼ cup water
11 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds
→ Lavender Lemon Glaze
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 1½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
15 - 1 teaspoon culinary lavender buds, finely chopped
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, ensuring complete coverage to prevent sticking.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Set aside for later use.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, incorporating fully after each addition. Blend in chopped lavender and vanilla extract.
04 - Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
06 - While the cake bakes, combine water, sugar, and lavender buds in a small saucepan. Simmer for 3 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside to cool slightly.
07 - Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes. If using the syrup, poke small holes across the surface with a skewer and gently brush with the warm lavender syrup. Let cool completely before glazing.
08 - Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and finely chopped lavender until smooth and pourable. The consistency should ribbon off the whisk.
09 - Drizzle the glaze evenly over the completely cooled cake. Allow the glaze to set for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The glaze transforms an already tender cake into something that tastes like a fancy bakery treat but comes together in under an hour
- That moment when you bite through the sweet lemon glaze into the fragrant crumb feels like discovering a secret garden
02 -
- Over chopping lavender into a fine powder can make the cake taste bitter, so aim for a rough chop instead
- The syrup step is technically optional but skipping it is the difference between a good cake and an unforgettable one
03 -
- Toast your lavender buds in a dry pan for 2 minutes before adding them to the batter to deepen the flavor
- Add a drop of purple food coloring to the glaze if you want that Instagram worthy lavender hue