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A delicate and moist blackberry lavender cake featuring lavender-infused milk and syrup, reverse creamed cake layers, a tart blackberry jam filling, and a smooth cream cheese–vanilla buttercream frosting with optional mauve tint.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender (for infusing lavender milk and syrup)
  • 1 cup milk (warmed until simmering for lavender-infused milk)
  • 1 cup sugar (for soaking syrup and jam, divided use)
  • 1/3 cup water (for lavender soaking syrup)
  • 12 ounces fresh blackberries (about 3 cups fresh or frozen) for jam
  • 1/4 cup sugar (for blackberry jam, adjust as needed)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cubed and softened (for cake batter)
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large eggs (to be whisked with liquids)
  • Blackberry jam or other berry jam/lemon curd (additional for filling if preferred)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (for cream cheese–vanilla buttercream)
  • 2 cups vanilla buttercream frosting (prepared separately, to blend with cream cheese)
  • 2 drops mauve food coloring (optional, for tinted frosting)
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional, for cake batter or frosting)

Instructions

  1. Warm 1 cup of milk just until simmering, then add 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender and steep briefly (about 10 minutes).
  2. Strain the lavender milk through a fine-mesh strainer to remove lavender bits and cool completely.
  3. To make lavender soaking syrup, simmer 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup water, and 2 teaspoons dried lavender until sugar dissolves; strain and cool.
  4. Prepare blackberry jam by simmering 12 ounces fresh blackberries with 1/4 cup sugar until thickened; cool completely.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 8-inch cake pans by greasing and flouring or lining with parchment paper.
  6. In a large bowl, sift together 2 3/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  7. Add softened 1 cup cubed butter to the dry ingredients and mix using the reverse creaming method until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  8. In a separate bowl, whisk 4 eggs, lavender-infused milk, and any other liquid ingredients together.
  9. Slowly add the wet egg mixture to the dry butter-flour mixture and mix gently until just combined; do not overmix.
  10. Divide batter evenly among prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  11. Cool cake layers completely on wire racks.
  12. Level the domed tops of each cake layer with a serrated knife or cake leveler.
  13. Brush each cake layer generously with the cooled lavender soaking syrup to moisten the crumb.
  14. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese–vanilla buttercream frosting on each cake layer to seal and prevent sogginess.
  15. Pipe a frosting dam around the edge of each layer using a large round piping tip, then pipe a bullseye of frosting inside the dam.
  16. Fill the center of each layer with blackberry jam.
  17. Stack the layers carefully and apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake; chill the cake until set, about 30 minutes.
  18. Split the remaining frosting; tint half with 2 drops mauve food coloring (optional).
  19. Cover the chilled crumb coat with the tinted frosting using an icing spatula.
  20. Pipe a simple border of frosting around the top edge to finish the cake.

Notes

Use culinary-grade dried lavender to avoid a soapy flavor., Do not over-steep the lavender milk; steep briefly and strain well., Reverse creaming method involves mixing butter into the dry ingredients first for a tender crumb., Many components like lavender milk, syrup, jam, and cake layers can be made ahead for easier assembly., Swap blackberry jam for other berry jams or lemon curd to vary flavors., Optional lemon zest brightens flavors when added to cake batter or frosting., For a less tangy frosting, use vanilla buttercream only instead of cream cheese blend., Cake can be made as two layers or cupcakes with adjusted baking time., Gluten-free, dairy-free, or vegan variations can be made with appropriate substitutes., Store assembled cake refrigerated in airtight container; bring to room temperature before serving., Unfrosted layers can be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gingerbaking.com/blackberry-lavender-cake-sallys-baking-2/