When I first took this in to work, most people gave me a funny look and said “Lavender?!” But it works and tastes really lovely with Earl Grey tea. If a whole cake is too rich for you, then just divide the mixture into 12 cupcakes.
you’ll need
For the sponge
- 120g plain flour
- 140g caster sugar
- 40g soft unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 120ml milk
- 2 tbsp dried lavender flowers
For the frosting
- 375g sifted icing sugar
- 120g soft unsalted butter
- 35ml milk
- few drops purple food colouring
- 1 tbsp lavender dried flowers
Essential equipment
- 2 x 12 inch sandwich tins
To make it
- Measure out the milk for the frosting, add the tablespoon of lavender flowers and set aside to infuse.
- Preheat the oven to 170C.
- Grind the lavender flowers in spice grinder or crush with a mortar and pestle until crushed.
- Beat the flour, sugar, baking powder and butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs. I use the lovely Cherry Red KitchenAid that my friends bought me 🙂
- Add the milk and then the egg and beat well until everything is well mixed.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of the ground lavender flowers.
- Divide the mixture between two 12 inch sandwich tins and bake for approx 20 minutes until a cocktail stick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tins and then turn out onto a wire rack.
- While it is cooling make the frosting by beating the icing sugar and butter together until it comes together.
- Add the lavender infused milk slowly and mix until it is light in colour and fluffy.
- Add a few drops of the food colouring to your desired colour – I usually go for a lilac shade.
- When the cakes are cool, sandwich them using a little of the frosting, (or you could use whipped double cream), and then cover the cake in the rest of the icing.
- Decorate with some fresh lavender sprigs and or purple violas.