Golden Lavender Cake
Spring is upon us, and there couldn’t be a better time to make this golden lavender cake! Not only does this cake taste like spring, it’s decorated to look like spring too.
It’s perfect for any celebration this spring and would make an incredible Easter dessert. Or if you just love to bake, it’s the perfect spring baking project!
How to Incorporate Lavender into this Cake
Incorporating that delicate lavender flavor into a cake takes a little bit of work! Usually, you can add flavoring right into cake batter, but baking with lavender is a bit different.
I’ve found the best way to do this is to steep dried culinary lavender in simmered milk. Once the mixture has sat for about 15 minutes, simply strain the milk with a fine mesh strainer.
This makes a wonderful and concentrated lavender milk, which is used in both the cake layers and the buttercream frosting!
It gives this cake just the right amount of lavender flavor, in my opinion! If you prefer a more intense flavor, you can always steep more lavender in your milk.
Or if you like a subtler flavor, you can steep less lavender or steep the same amount for a shorter period of time.
Making These Cake Layers Ahead of Time
One of the best things about this golden lavender cake recipe is that it can be made ahead of time!
These layers can be made in advance and can be stored in the freezer for several weeks if properly wrapped! This helps break up the cake-making process, which makes it a lot more manageable.
I like to make my cake layers and frosting in advance, so that I can put all my energy into the decoration of the cake another day.
If you do plan to freeze them, be sure to either place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in Saran Wrap.
Also, be sure to let the cake layers fully thaw before leveling them.
Coloring Your Cake Layers and Buttercream
If you want your cake layers and buttercream to be colored like mine, I recommend using gel food coloring. Liquid food coloring can work too, but you won’t be able to get as strong a color.
You can also throw off the consistency of your cake batter and buttercream if you add too much liquid food coloring.
Gel food coloring is incredibly concentrated, so it allows you to use less. A tiny drop will create beautiful, bright colors like these.
Gel coloring is also thicker and won’t change the consistency of the cake batter.
Tips for Making the Best Golden Lavender Cake:
- Be sure to use Domino® Golden Sugar to give this cake a delicious hint of molasses flavor
- Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake, to make it easier to stack and frost.
- Mix your cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated; this will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy
- Be sure to properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients
- Use a serrated knife to level your cake layers once they’re fully cooled, to make it easier to assemble and frost your cake
Making These Cake Layers in Advance and Storage Tips:
- Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them: It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
- Make your frosting ahead of time, too, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
- A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
- If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this golden lavender cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating, and let me know your thoughts by sharing a comment 🙂
Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use the #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!
Golden Lavender Cake
Ingredients
Lavender Milk
- 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature 183 grams
- 1 Tbsp dried culinary lavender 3 grams
Golden Lavender Cake Recipe
- 3 cups cake flour 360 grams
- 3 cups Domino® Golden Sugar 600 grams
- 1 tsp fine salt 6 grams
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 10 grams
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226 grams – 2 sticks
- 1 cup carton egg whites, room temperature or about 7 egg whites (235 grams)
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 255 grams
- 1/2 cup lavender milk – made in above recipe 123 grams
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4 grams
- 1/8 cup vegetable or canola oil 28 grams
- purple gel food coloring optional
Golden Lavender Buttercream Frosting
- 7 large egg whites, room temperature 235 grams
- 2 cups Domino® Golden Sugar 400 grams
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature 454 grams
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 1 gram
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8 grams
- 1/4 cup lavender milk, room temperature 62 grams
- purple, pink, and green gel food coloring
Instructions
Lavender Milk
- Pour milk into a large saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, until the milk begins to simmer.
- Remove the pan from the stove top and add in the dried lavender.
- Let the mixture steep for 15 minutes, then pour the liquid through a strainer into a small bowl.
- Set aside to cool completely before using in the cake batter and frosting.
Golden Lavender Cake Layers:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line and grease four, 7-inch cake pans or three, 8-inch cake pans with parchment rounds.
- Mix together all dry ingredients (cake flour, Domino® Golden Sugar baking powder, and salt) in a stand mixer with a paddle or whisk attachment until fully combined.
- Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Pour in egg whites, and mix on low until just incorporated.
- Add the sour cream, lavender milk, vanilla extract, oil and purple gel food coloring. Mix on a low speed until the batter is smooth an evenly colored.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on low speed for a few more seconds (the key is to mix until the ingredients are JUST incorporated, so that the batter isn’t over mixed).
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. I like to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh my pans, to make sure my layers will be the same height.
- Bake for 38-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the pans to cool for 10 minutes, then run an offset spatula around perimeter of the pan to separate the cake from the pan.
- Place cake layers on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Once fully cooled, use a serrated knife to level the tops and sides of the layers to remove any caramelization.
Golden Lavender Swiss Meringue Frosting:
- While the cake layers bake and cool, make the golden lavender buttercream frosting.
- In a medium sized pot, add about 1 inch of water bring to a simmer.
- Before making the frosting, be sure to thorough clean your mixing bowl; if there’s any grease it can make it difficult to make the meringue.
- Add the egg whites and Domino® Golden Sugar into your clean mixing bowl.
- Place the bowl on top of the pot filled with simmering water, being sure the water isn’t actually touching the bottom of your bowl. The bowl should create a seal over the pot.
- Whisk the mixture constantly for about 3 minutes, until it reaches 160 degrees F. You can test the mixture to see if it’s ready by rubbing a tiny bit between your fingertips. The sugar should be fully dissolved, and it should feel super smooth and hot to the touch.
- Lift your bowl away from the pot, and dry the bottom with a towel.
- Lock the bowl into place on your stand mixer, and beat on medium high using a whisk attachment. Mix for about 10 minutes, until you have stiff and glossy peaks.
- At this point in time, the bowl should be back to room temperature and no longer warm to the touch. If it’s warm, it will melt your butter!!
- Mix in the unsalted butter at a medium speed, 1 Tbsp at a time.
- When all butter is mixed in, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- To make the frosting extra smooth, swap out the whisk attachment for a paddle attachment and continue mixing on a low speed for about couple minutes.
- The frosting should have a thick whipped consistency at this point. If it looks lumpy or broken, keep mixing until it looks smooth and thick.
- Add in the salt, vanilla extract, lavender milk and a drop of purple gel food coloring and mix on medium-high until fully incorporated. The buttercream should be a very light purple color. Set aside.
Assembling this Golden Lavender Cake:
- Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board, using a dab of frosting to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
- Add an even layer of buttercream between each cake layer.
- Spread a thin coat of frosting around the cake, to fully cover the cake layers. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (10 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the frosting is firm to the touch.
- Add a second, thicker layer of frosting to the cake, and smooth using a bench scraper.
- Color the remaining buttercream different shades of green, purple, pink, and yellow.
- Place into separate piping bags, and pipe a floral design around the sides of the cake.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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How could this recipe be made for a small batch (3 6inch layers)? Looks so good!
Hi Marlene,
I’d recommend making 2/3 of a batch of cake batter and frosting! That should make 3 perfect little 6 inch layers. Hope that helps, happy baking!
This looks delicious
Thanks Yolandie!! It really was so delicious 🙂
This looks just fabulous … a real “breath of spring” that I will make to have brought to the nurses at one of our local hospitals (I wear a mask and cap and gloves while baking for others, of course!)
Aw thanks Nikki!! You’re too sweet, I bet they’d love that <3
Chelsweets’s recipe for 5 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies was JUST what we needed to get us through these long days of working from home, working out at home, and staying safe at home. The perfect reward? One of these cookie treats, made with pantry items so no leaving the house was required!
Hi, I was just wondering if I could make cupcakes with this recipe?
Hi Delle,
You can make cupcakes with this recipe!! Bake them at 350 F for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Hope that helps, happy baking!
@Chelsweets,
How many cupcakes for this?
Where do you find the golden sugar?
Hi Hannah,
I order mine on amazon! Here’s the link: https://amzn.to/2JXk8QS
Hi, I only want to make 1 cake layer how much should I make?
Hi Lillyon,
You can make 1/3 of this recipe and bake 1, 8″ cake layer! Hope that helps, happy baking!!
Hi Chelsea,
I used this cake as an inspiration to a spring themed cake and went with your classic vanilla cake recipe. Everything came out as delicious as your recipes always are but I’m having trouble in regards to the cake slices. When I cut into the cake, it’s very crumbly and doesn’t look like your layers! I’m not sure why this is happening, I do the crumb coat, let the cakes chill, and frost like normal. Any advice on how to keep the slices from falling apart? Thanks!
That is so wonderful to hear Kerri! To help get super clean cuts, I actually cut into my cakes when they’re still a tiny bit cold! This helps the buttercream keep its shape better, which supports the cake layers!
I also heat up my knife under some hot water and dry it before making each slice into the cake. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi
How much of the buttercream is required to completely cover 3 9″ cake rounds please?
Hi Sola,
That can vary a lot based on how much frosting you like between your cake layers, and how you plan to decorate the cake! I’d recommend making 1.5 batches of this frosting recipe for that size of cake.
hi! i want to make it in a heart cake pan. do i have to change somethings in the reciepe.
Hi Tahel,
It depends what size your heart pan is, and how many layers you want to make! If it’s a single layer cake, you can probably cut the cake batter and frosting recipe in half. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi! Is there a way to do a DIY cake flour or this can be made with regular flour? Thank you
Hi Marinel,
For sure! For every 1 cup of cake flour, use 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift together and proceed with the recipe as written. Happy baking!
Hi!
Do I have to use cake flour or can i just use all purpose flour?
Thanks!
I’m having a hard time finding local Domino golden sugar local. What’s a good substitute
Can use this recipe for cupcakes?