Lemon-Lavender Cake
Lemon-Lavender Cake is rated
out of
5 by
10.
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
50 minutes
Servings:
10
Londoners like nothing better than lingering in a café over coffee or tea and cake, watching the world pass by. While some prefer French confections, others are fond of simple English cakes like this lavender cake with the fresh, floral taste of the English countryside, embellished with an old-fashioned drizzle icing. The best source for pesticide-free lavender is your own garden or a friend's.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 8 sprigs pesticide-free fresh lavender flowers, or 1 tsp. finely chopped, pesticide-free fresh lavender leaves, plus flowers for deecorating (optional)
- 1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
- 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups ground blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
For the icing:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- Juice of 1/2 large lemon, or as needed
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
To make the cake, strip the flowers from the lavender sprigs. Place in a food processor and add the superfine sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt. Process until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, alternating with one-fourth of the flour, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Gently stir in the ground almonds and the lemon juice.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out onto the rack. Place right side up and let cool.
Meanwhile, make the icing: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice, a few drops at a time. The icing should be thick but spreadable. If it is too stiff, add a little more lemon juice.
Using a knife and dipping it in hot water if it becomes too sticky, spread the icing over the cooled cake, making sure that it drips down the sides. Let stand until the icing is set, about 1 hour. Decorate the cake with fresh lavender flowers. The cake will keep, stored in an airtight container without the flower garnish, for up to 3 days. Serves 8 to 10.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma A Taste of the World (Gold Street Press, 2008).
To make the cake, strip the flowers from the lavender sprigs. Place in a food processor and add the superfine sugar, butter, lemon zest and salt. Process until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, alternating with one-fourth of the flour, beating well with a wooden spoon after each addition. Gently stir in the ground almonds and the lemon juice.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn the cake out onto the rack. Place right side up and let cool.
Meanwhile, make the icing: Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the lemon juice, a few drops at a time. The icing should be thick but spreadable. If it is too stiff, add a little more lemon juice.
Using a knife and dipping it in hot water if it becomes too sticky, spread the icing over the cooled cake, making sure that it drips down the sides. Let stand until the icing is set, about 1 hour. Decorate the cake with fresh lavender flowers. The cake will keep, stored in an airtight container without the flower garnish, for up to 3 days. Serves 8 to 10.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma A Taste of the World (Gold Street Press, 2008).
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$14.95
Rated 1 out of
5
by
Torvana from
Just don't
Don't waste your time its bad there's no leavening agent so it's not going to rise no baking powder or soda also melt the butter darn it!
Date published: 2020-05-10
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Heiyu from
Love this Cake!
I have been making this cake for a few years now for my mothers birthday. She has strict dietary limitations - and I do sub the flower for coconut flour. She LOVES this cake - and its one that she can safely have and enjoy on her special day!
Date published: 2020-02-13
Rated 3 out of
5
by
blue eye34 from
Good but not Great!
Lemon-Lavender great combination but the problem is with the recipe. It took 15 minutes longer to cook and it still was not done, had to pull the cake out before it burned. The cake was dense and still spongy/ wet on the bottom. The lemon-lavender combination is really nice but may want to use a little more lavender that called for.
Date published: 2018-04-02
Rated 5 out of
5
by
mira from
Delish!!!
Despite the negative reviews I still decided to make it. I followed the recipe almost 100%. My changes were: I used spelt flour, and added more lavender in the cake mix. I'm not a baker, so I was nervous. The cake was so moist and tasty and everyone loved it. Including myself!!
Date published: 2017-05-10
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Monam from
I loved it wow
I followed the recipe i used dried lavender flowers instead of fresh it was delicious
Date published: 2017-04-15
Rated 5 out of
5
by
TrekkieChef from
One of the Most Delicious Cakes I Have Ever Made
I had no issue with the recipe for this cake and found it easy to make. It is a dense cake because, I believe, due to the lack of a leavening agent, but it is delicious nonetheless. If I had any criticism is that I think there could be more lavender and lemon flavor, as they are somewhat muted. But overall it is an outstanding cake to serve, even without the frosting.
Date published: 2016-02-09
Rated 1 out of
5
by
AndyPanda from
Bad recipe
This recipe was a disaster, I think it needed more flour and baking soda.
Date published: 2015-04-04
Rated 1 out of
5
by
BetterBaker from
Missing Ingredients?
Where is the baking soda/baking powder? There is only 1/2 cup of flour? There should be at least 1.5 cups of flour (in my opinion).
I followed the directions except I infused the butter with lavender. Although I doubt this caused the issue here is what I did with the butter:
Double boiled the butter with 3 Tbs of lavender. Ran it through a strainer to remove the lavender pieces and then whipped the butter in an ice bath to re-solidify the butter. I then used it as I normally would.
The cake turned out like a bread pudding. The flavor was great but I would never make it like this again.
Date published: 2014-06-22