Lavender and Honey Cake Recipe. Enjoy this delicate lavender-infused butter cake with a dollop of plain yoghurt and a pot of hot tea.
Serves 6–8
2 stalks lavender, flowers (or 2 tbsp purchased lavender flowers)
½ cup caster sugar
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup honey
3 eggs
1½ cups self-raising flour
¾ cup buttermilk
2 tbsp sifted icing sugar, to serve
lavender flowers (extra), to decorate
thick cream, to serve
1 Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 22cm springform cake pan with baking paper. Grind lavender flowers and sugar together with a mortar and pestle until finely ground.
2 Using an electric beater, beat lavender sugar, butter and honey until light and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour into mixture. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold flour and buttermilk into mixture. Spoon into prepared baking pan. Smooth top. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked when tested with a skewer.
3 Stand for 5 minutes before releasing clamp and inverting cake onto a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with flowers (extra) if you wish. Serve with thick cream.
Note: it’s important to use lavender that is homegrown and pest free, not commercially grown lavender that may have been sprayed with chemicals. Prepared lavender flowers can be purchased from selected herb and spice stores or delis.
