I love lemon. I love lavender. What better way to indulge my affections than to combine the flavors and bake a cake. So I did. And it’s absolutely scrumptious if I do say so myself. This family of five devoured it in less than 24 hours – we couldn’t help ourselves.
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Since I harvested some of my French lavender last weekend, one of my first inclinations was to use it in the kitchen. Lavender has been used in cooking for centuries – you’ll often find it in the ‘Herbes de Provence’ seasoning blend or lately in lavender sugar blends available at specialty stores. You have to be careful with lavender. Just like truffles, all you need is a tiny bit, you definitely don’t want to overdo it. But what a fantastic culinary flavor it brings to the table !
The addition of lemon pudding in this recipe was my mom’s idea. She’s been adding it to her lemon cake for years, so I stole that idea from her.
Lavender Lemon Pudding Cake
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 lemon (zest for cake, juice for glaze)
3 cups sifted flour (or cake flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 package instant lemon pudding
2 1/2 cups whole milk (2 cups for pudding; 1/2 cup for cake)
3 cups confectioners sugar
3-4 organic lavender buds
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring butter to room temperature. In separate bowl, mix butter and sugar with hand mixer, beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon zest to form batter.
In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to batter and blend with mixer. Meanwhile, prepare instant pudding as directed on box, then allow to set for five minutes. Add pudding and additional milk to cake batter, beat on medium for 2-3 minutes.
Pour prepared batter into greased Bundt pan (I use cooking spray) and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes (test at 45). Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes, remove cake from Bundt pan, and place on cake plate to cool another 20 minutes.
For lemon and lavender icing: Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil, then place 3-4 lavender buds in boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and remove and discard lavender buds, then allow lavender infused water to cool. In separate bowl, combine the juice of one lemon with 3 cups of sifted confectioners sugar.
Add 3 tablespoons of lavender infused water. Blend together to make icing – add more confectioner’s sugar if necessary to thicken. Once cake is cool, pour icing on top and garnish with a few fresh lavender buds, then dust with confectioner’s sugar.
It’s not just pretty, it’s completely delicious!
How does one say “Yum” in French ?
I am mourning the emptiness that is now my cake plate.
My only chance for happiness is to bake another one soon.
Bon Appétit !
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I can nearly taste the tartness looking at the photos…which are beautiful btw! Enjoy your day! Janell
Oh my heavens it is so gorgeous! I’ll just bet it was heavenly, thanks for the recipe!
Oh my. Those are some gorgeous photos! I’m certain I wouldn’t be able to stick to one piece of this beauty. Another reason I need to grow Lavender in my yard!
It’s so pretty that I’d be afraid to eat it! : )
Nonetheless, I’m totally making this!
Ooooh. That sounds and LOOKS amazing!
well helloouuu!
i just found ur blog, & even tho i read only a few posts ..i can say it looks adorable!
im so happy i found u!!
hugs & glitters,
S*
Oh my! That looks wonderful!
That looks divine! I don’t have any lavender, but I’ll definitely have to try the lemon cake :)
Oh wow!! that is gorgeous! Almost too pretty to eat! I can only imagine how wonderful this most have tasted! thank you for sharing the recipe and pretty pictures!
I’ve seen so many wonderful recipes out there lately I want to try, but this one is going to the top of the list. My mouth is watering! My parents are coming for a visit and this is a must bake one while they’re here. Thanks for the recipe. I hope mine looks just a gorgeous.
I am with you – I love anything lemon and anything lavendar! That cake looks super yummy! I love baking and this gives me the perfect excuse, i mean opportunity to make this cake ;)
Yum and so beautiful!! Lemon is so refreshing for summer.
Karena
Art by Karena
Kate, this looks DELICIOUS! Lemon desserts are m favorite, and I’ve never made a pound cake with lemon pudding, but I’m absolutely going to try it!
Looks tasty IS beautiful.
I’m going to have to send you a bill for the repairs to my keyboard from all the drool I just got everywhere. ;)
yum and beautiful! I can’t wait to make it!
It must be yum!!
Oh that looks delicious and beautiful! I have lavender blooming right now. I am so going to make this. Love lemon!
There’s no perfect translation but “miam” works for the situation :)
(good evening from france !)
Wow, am very impressed. I’d love to experiment with lavender in food generally – this looks like a very decadent way to start!
Ooh looks divine. And yes, we say “miam miam” lol.
This cake looks wonderful! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I have posted a link to this recipe on our blog http://www.pleasanthillnursery.com/phn-growers-blog/Culinary-Uses-for-Lavender.html check it out if you get a chance. Thanks!
WOW, I will be trying this one out for sure for sure. Thanks for sharing and making me super hungry for cake.
Thanks for putting this recipe up for us! It looks divine!
(I know how hard it is to bake and do photos (that look any good) and manage kids and the household at the same time….(hence the reason I don’t have many on my blog! hahahaha) so thank you again!)
Beautiful cake. I too just love lavender. Do you know the approx. measurement of the lavender? I have some in my spice collection that is loose and dried. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi there,
I have shared your recipe on our blog at http://coffeecakeandkink.tumblr.com/ (it will go live on 17 June)
Let us know if there is anything else we can help you with.
Gothi
Social Media Manager
Coffee, Cake & Kink
Yum! This looks too delicious, I can’t wait to try this recipe.
“Holy DROOL” Great idea. I’am going to have to make this cake!!! Your photo’s are truly amazing.
Delicious!
Hugs
Charo
You call for salt twice but there is only one measurement listed, when do you add it or does it matter? When preparing the pudding do you follow the box instructions or just add milk to the mix?
Man that looks so good! Lemon is a fave of mine.
C’est Magnifique! It’s Magnificent…or C’est si Bon It’s so good, C’est Bon…It’s Good.
This looks delish! I am dying to try it!
Oh my! I will be baking my own birthday cake, and this beauty is going to be it!!
Thanks for the recipe. It does look divine!
Oh, I have encountered a problem: no lavender in Sydney mid-winter!!!
Does this mean I need to wait until I can get some lavender? :( Can I substitute it for anything maybe (my sister mentioned dried lavender that is used in pot pourri!).
Thanks for the birthday wish!
Thanls for the prompt reply. I did make it before I heard from you by just using the milk added to the pudding mix….It was a little dry but the icing more than made up for that. It was delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Just made this tonight for a barbeque and it was a huge hit! I think it was the most moist cake I have ever eaten. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this cake for Father’s Day and it was delicious!!! Your directions were awesome, I do not bake or cook – at all. But, I was able to follow your recipe without a hitch. Thank you!!! I think I may have impressed my mother-in-law after all:)
Delicious!!! Your photo was irresistable… It’s delicious and beautiful =) Also must share, we just put the final coat of poly on our stair banister as, again, your photos inspired us to jump right in and tackle the project =) Thank you for this wonderful and inspiring site!