Blackberry Lavender Cake
I’ve never been a fan of lavender flavored food. Lavender scented candles? Love them. Lavender lotion? Bring it on. Lavender the color? I love you and you’re gorgeous.
But I think lavender flavored desserts taste like hand soap.
Today I’m eating my words… and another slice of this blackberry lavender cake! It’s buttery soft with a tight crumb, blackberry filling, cream cheese frosting, and delicate flavor of aromatic lavender. Not hand soapy in the slightest.
If new cake flavors excite you, you are definitely going to enjoy this cake!
Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream. Four layers of light and fluffy vanilla cake with homemade blackberry lavender jam, and white chocolate buttercream. This cake is nothing short of delicious. Every bite is layered with fresh berries, hints of lavender, and sweet vanilla cake. The perfect berry filled cake for any and all occasions.
As if you could not tell from Tuesday’s blueberry galette, I am really excited about the arrival of berry season. I have decided that this is the summer I will embrace fruit based desserts. You guys know I am all about chocolate, but right now I’m loving fruit based sweets, and having a lot of fun creating recipes using my favorite fruits.
Plus, after sharing mostly chocolate desserts over the last five and a half years, I think it’s time to branch out…at least a little. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing chocolate next week!
Anyway, I’m very excited about this cake and so happy with how it turned out. I was nervous when I set out to make this cake, as layer cakes can be a little intimidating. Fortunately, not only did this cake turn out pretty, it’s also really good. Some layer cakes can be dry and flavorless, especially layer cakes of the non-chocolate variety, but trust me, this cake is soft and bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
For Lemon Blackberry Cake Layers
For French Buttercream
How to Make Lavender Cake:
How to Make French Buttercream Frosting:
Assembling the Lavender Cake:
But I think lavender flavored desserts taste like hand soap.
Today I’m eating my words… and another slice of this blackberry lavender cake! It’s buttery soft with a tight crumb, blackberry filling, cream cheese frosting, and delicate flavor of aromatic lavender. Not hand soapy in the slightest.
If new cake flavors excite you, you are definitely going to enjoy this cake!
Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream. Four layers of light and fluffy vanilla cake with homemade blackberry lavender jam, and white chocolate buttercream. This cake is nothing short of delicious. Every bite is layered with fresh berries, hints of lavender, and sweet vanilla cake. The perfect berry filled cake for any and all occasions.
As if you could not tell from Tuesday’s blueberry galette, I am really excited about the arrival of berry season. I have decided that this is the summer I will embrace fruit based desserts. You guys know I am all about chocolate, but right now I’m loving fruit based sweets, and having a lot of fun creating recipes using my favorite fruits.
Plus, after sharing mostly chocolate desserts over the last five and a half years, I think it’s time to branch out…at least a little. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing chocolate next week!
Anyway, I’m very excited about this cake and so happy with how it turned out. I was nervous when I set out to make this cake, as layer cakes can be a little intimidating. Fortunately, not only did this cake turn out pretty, it’s also really good. Some layer cakes can be dry and flavorless, especially layer cakes of the non-chocolate variety, but trust me, this cake is soft and bursting with flavor.
Ingredients
For Lemon Blackberry Cake Layers
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs separated
- 1 zest from lemon
- 1 cup milk lukewarm
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
For French Buttercream
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 2 cups unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 tsp lavender oil
- purple food coloring optional
How to Make Lavender Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Line three, 8-inch (20 cm) cake rounds with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes, until light fluffy. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix again until cream and smooth, then pour in the milk but do not mix.
- In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Sift the dry ingredients into the cake batter. Use a whisk or hand mixer to combine the dry ingredients, milk and batter, mixing just until the flour is incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until medium peaks form. Add the egg whites to the cake batter and fold in using a spatula, folding gently but thoroughly until well combined.
- Divide the cake batter evenly between the three cake pans, using a kitchen scale for accuracy. Toss the fresh blackberries in the cornstarch, coating the berries well. Drop 6 to 8 berries into each pan, spacing them equally apart. Bake the cakes in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
How to Make French Buttercream Frosting:
- While the cake layers are cooling, prepare the French buttercream. Place the egg yolks into a stand mixer bowl and whisk on high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until thick and pale.
- Meanwhile, combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir once to combine the ingredients and attach a candy thermometer to the side. Cook the syrup over medium heat until it reaches 238F (114C), about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Once syrup is ready, remove from heat and with mixer on medium speed, pour the hot syrup into the egg yolks. Take care to pour the syrup away from the whisk attachment to prevent crystalized sugar bits. Once all the syrup is added, turn mixer up to high speed and whisk until the egg yolks are doubled in size and reaches medium peak stage; it should be cooled and just lukewarm to touch.
- Begin adding the butter, about 1 tablespoon (15 g) at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the butter slowly to prevent the cream from separating; this process takes about 8 to 10 minutes. As more butter is added, the cream will thicken and hold its shape. Add the lavender oil and purple food color last.
Assembling the Lavender Cake:
- Once cake layers have cooled, spread a generous amount of buttercream between each layer. Smooth the frosting over the top and sides. Garnish the top as desired, with blackberries, lavender and greens.
