Honey Lavender Cake with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

I can't remember the last time I made a cake - not cupcakes. But this was for a festive situation - a semi-formal surprise birthday party! It must be a cake with proper candles and everything.



This cake is pretty marvelous. It is delicate and complex. White chocolate compliments but doesn't over power lavender. The lavender comes on very subtly after the first bite. Since I have lavender scented hand soap and dish liquid, I was afraid the cake would taste like soap. But not at all. In fact, I was so good I had to stop eating. I, who's possibly the fastest cake eater in the whole wide world, slowed down so that I could appreciate all the flavor notes from a bite of this cake. It's that good.


I need more practice frosting a cake...

I started with half my usual vanilla cupcake recipe because this cake would feed only 10 people. I added 2 teaspoons of dry lavender, substituted 1/4 cup of honey for 1/4 cup of sugar and omitted vanilla extract. The cake is baked in two 9-inch cake pans in 350 degrees oven for 33 minutes. The cakes was totally brown within 30 minutes but they weren't cooked. My friend, Hannah, suggested that I bake them at 300 degrees for longer time to get lighter color cake and flatter layers. I'll remember to do that next time.

Cupcakes

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour


• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder


• 1/4 teaspoon salt


• 1 stick of butter - at room temperature


• 3/4 cup sugar


• 2 eggs


• 1/4 cup honey


• 2 teaspoon dry lavender


• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.


2. With an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for a couple of minutes until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well after each egg. Add honey and lavender.


3. Sift a third of flour mixture into the wet ingredients alternately with buttermilk. Stir (the mixer's lowest setting) until no streaks left.


4. Divide the batter onto 2 lined and greased 9-inch cake pans. Spread the batter to cover the pans surface. Bake for 33 - 35 minutes. Rotate pans after 15 minutes.


5. Remove from the pans and let cool on cooling racks.

White chocolate cream cheese frosting

• 1 stick of butter - at room temperature


• 1/2 cup of confectioner sugar


• 1 package cream cheese


• 1 cup chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Melt the white chocolate. I did with a microwave. If you don't have a microwave, melt it in a pot over boiling water. Be careful not to burn. White chocolate burns easily because it has a lot of sugar. Also make sure that everything is dry and no water drips on the chocolate. It seizes up really easily. Let cool a little.


2. With an electric mixer and wire whisk attachment, beat butter with sugar. Add cream cheese. Add white chocolate. Beat at high speed until light. Add more sugar if you want it sweeter. If it's too runny, refrigerate for 10 - 20 minutes before frosting.

To assemble, drop a teaspoon of frosting on a cake board or serving plate to prevent the cake from sliding, place the first layer with the flat side up. Spread about half a cup of frosting on the first layer. Place the second layer on top with the flat side down. Smack the layers in place. Cover the entire cake with frosting. Sprinkle the top with shaved white chocolate.