Lemon Lavender Cake with Honey Syrup

A refreshing light cake made with aromatic lemon zest and olive oil with a light touch of lavender and floral honey.

Did you know you can use lavender in your cooking? I really like how the flavour of lavender plays with lemon, vanilla and honey. Aromatic and floral, lavender is embraced for its calming, soothing properties. Just what the doctor ordered, to calm down during the Christmas rush.

Lavender is one of the most popular flowering herbs in gardens. It’s easy to grow, lasts for years and smells great. If you already have lavender in your yard, then you might have noticed that when it’s in bloom, it attracts bees like a magnet. That’s because the fragrant plant has both pollen and nectar to feed the bees. I like to support our little friends, the bees are endangered now. Funny fact, the most likely colours to attract bees are purple, violet and blue.

What is the best lavender for culinary use? English lavender is extremely popular as culinary lavender. This is normally sold as Lavandula angustifolia, the best variety for cooler climate, a most popular variety in New Zealand.

I prefer to use dried lavender buds in this recipe. To dry lavender, harvest it after a couple of days of dry weather after any morning dew has evaporated. Cut flowers just above the leaves, tie bunches together and hang them in a dry, dark place away from moisture for a month.

You can also try to find culinary lavender in grocery stores, BTW it has been spotted in Huckleberry Farms in Auckland.

Lemon Lavender Cake with Honey Syrup

Recipe by Leno RegushCourse: DessertCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

A refreshing light cake made with aromatic lemon zest and olive oil with a light touch of lavender and floral honey.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers

• 3 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

• 2/3 cup brown sugar

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

• 1/2 cup almond flour

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 Tbs lemon juice

• 1/2 cup plain Greek yoghurt

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 large egg

• Lavender Honey syrup

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated)

• 1 tespoon dried lavender flowers

• 2 Tbsp lemon juice

• 1/3 cup runny flower honey

• lavender flowers and bee pollen to garnish

Directions

• Pre-heat the oven to 180С (350F). Coat the bottom and sides of 10X18cm loaf pan (preferably non-stick) with nonstick cooking spray.
• Mix the lemon zest, dried lavender and sugar in a food processor until mixture is slightly wet from lemon essential oils.
• In a large bowl whisk the flour(sieved), almond meal, baking powder, and salt.
• In another bowl combine the lavender-lemon sugar mix, olive oil, egg, yoghurt, lemon juice, lavender extract, mix together using a wooden spoon.
• Add the wet mix to the dry whisking until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for around 50 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before you remove.
• Lavender honey syrup. Combine lemon juice, zest and dried lavender in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn of the heat, chill slightly and strain through a fine sieve. Add honey and mix well.
• Drizzle the cake with the syrup. Cover the sides of the cake with syrup using a pastry brush. Chill the cake completely before the cut. Garnish with fresh lavender flowers and bee pollen. Enjoy!