Italian meringue buttercream flavored with homemade lavender oil between layers of cake baked with handpicked, dried lavender buds.


CAKES+RECIPES by Heather Ward of The Scootabaker Desserts | PROPS+FOOD STYLING byAlica Buszczak PHOTOGRAPHY by Andrea Bricco | PROP RENTALS fromCasa de Perrin

Subscribe to Sweet Paul


 

Makes a 4-layer, 8-inch cake

Cake:
8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
13 oz granulated sugar
4 eggs
6 1⁄2 oz all purpose flour
5 1⁄2 oz cake flour
1 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried lavender buds
10 oz buttermilk
purple gel color

Lavender Italian Meringue Buttercream:
3 1⁄2 oz water
14 oz granulated sugar
5 oz egg whites, room temperature
16 oz unsalted butter, cut into 1” cubes

Lavender Oil:
1 cup grape seed oil
1⁄4 cup dried lavender buds
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease the bottoms and sides of 4 cake pans and line with round parchment paper. Grease the parchment too.
  3. In a large bowl, sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in lavender buds. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter until lightened in color.
  5. Add sugar and beat on medium-high until fluffy and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of the bowl.
  6. Add eggs and continue beating on high until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
  7. In 3 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, add the flour mixture and buttermilk into the mixer on low speed until incorporated. Turn mixer on high for 10 seconds to achieve a smooth and glossy batter.
  8. Pour batter evenly between baking pans. Rap pans on the counter to level batter.
  9. Bake for 28 minutes or until cake doesn’t jiggle when shaken. Allow cake to cool on a wire rack before removing from pans.
  10. Make lavender oil by combining oil and lavender in a pot and simmering over low heat for 15 minutes or until lavender is fragrant. 11. Strain oil through a sieve into a clean aluminum or glass bowl. Allow to cool completely for using.
  11. Make Italian meringue buttercream by placing egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
  12. Combine water and sugar in a pot and allow syrup to boil to 240°F.
  13. Switch mixer on high, return to boiling syrup and turn off at 244°F.
  14. Slowly pour hot syrup into the edge of the mixing bowl.
  15. Leave mixer on high for 10 minutes or until meringue is stiff but not over-mixed and curdled.
  16. Lower speed to medium-high and add butter cube by cube.
  17. Mix until butter is fully incorporated and meringue buttercream is smooth.
  18. Add lavender oil and gel color and mix until incorporated.
  19. Place 1 layer of cake on a serving tray and add a layer of frosting. Continue with 3 more layers of cake and frosting.
  20. Frost the rest of the cake with the remaining of frosting.

TIP:

.
Italian meringue buttercream flavored with homemade lavender oil between layers of cake baked with handpicked, dried lavender buds.
Photography by

Made it? Tell us about it–