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A moist and tender blackberry lavender layer cake with a subtle floral lavender flavor, blackberry jam filling, and cream cheese buttercream frosting. Made using the reverse creaming method with lavender-infused milk and soaking syrup for enhanced moisture and flavor balance.

Ingredients

  • Lavender Milk: 2 cups whole milk, 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds
  • Lavender Soaking Syrup: 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds
  • Cake: 2 1/2 cups (313 g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature, 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 4 large eggs, at room temperature, 1 cup chilled lavender milk (from above)
  • Blackberry Jam: about 1 cup good-quality blackberry jam (store-bought or homemade)
  • Cream Cheese Buttercream: 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened, 8 oz (227 g) cream cheese, softened, 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Prepare lavender milk: Warm 2 cups whole milk until simmering. Remove from heat, stir in 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds. Steep for 10–15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and chill completely.
  2. Make lavender soaking syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds. Bring to a simmer, cook until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, steep 10 minutes, strain, and cool.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and flour three 8- or 9-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment paper.
  4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
  5. Add cubed room-temperature butter to the dry ingredients. Using a stand mixer or by hand, work the butter into the flour mixture until fully coated (reverse creaming method).
  6. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and mix until combined.
  7. Add the chilled lavender milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; mix to combine.
  8. Add eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition until just combined. Avoid over mixing.
  9. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans and bake 25–30 minutes, or until tops spring back lightly, edges pull away, and a toothpick inserted shows a few moist crumbs.
  10. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks. Once cool, level domed tops with a serrated knife or cake leveler.
  11. Brush each cake layer with cooled lavender soaking syrup to soak the crumb.
  12. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese buttercream frosting on each cake layer.
  13. Pipe a frosting dam (a ring) around the edge of each layer and a bullseye circle in the center.
  14. Fill the center with about 1/3 cup blackberry jam per layer, inside the frosting dam.
  15. Stack the layers to assemble the cake.
  16. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
  17. Finish frosting the cake with the remaining cream cheese buttercream. Optionally tint part of the frosting with purple coloring for decorative piping around the border and top.

Notes

Use dried culinary lavender specifically for baking to avoid soapy flavors., Steeping lavender milk instead of boiling preserves delicate floral notes without bitterness., The reverse creaming method yields a tender crumb that supports layering well., To avoid sogginess, use frosting barriers around jam and a crumb coat before final frosting., The soaking syrup keeps layers moist longer., Cake can be made ahead; components like lavender milk, soaking syrup, jam, and buttercream store well refrigerated or frozen., The cake is best served at room temperature after chilling the frosting for proper texture., Possible substitutions: replace blackberry jam with other berry jams or compote; reduce or omit lavender for milder flavor; use vanilla or mascarpone frosting instead of cream cheese buttercream.

Nutrition

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