Lavender & Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe

Introduction

Elisa Sunga, the creator of Cake Picnic, shares a delightful recipe for a lavender and lemon poppy seed cake in her latest cookbook, ‘Cake Picnic: Recipes for the Love of Cake & Friends.’ This book combines recipes with guidance on hosting your own cake picnic.

Lavender & Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

This recipe brings together the classic flavor of lemon poppy seed with the aromatic essence of lavender. Sunga recommends using food-grade lavender extract for the best results.

Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake

• 1¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp lemon zest
• 1½ cups (340 g) vanilla yogurt, at room temperature
• 2⁄3 cup (132 g) neutral oil
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2⅓ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup (28 g) cornstarch
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 Tbsp poppy seeds

Lavender Swiss Meringue Buttercream

• 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 6 egg whites
• 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, at room temperature
• 1 tsp table salt
• ½ to 2 tsp lavender extract, to taste
• 1 or 2 drops purple food coloring (optional)

Decorations (Optional)

• Candied lavender
• Fresh lavender sprigs
• Lemon slices
• Candied lemons
• Piped buttercream swirls
• Flower petals or sprinkles

Instructions

To Make the Lemon Poppy Seed Yogurt Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease and line two 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest, rubbing them together to release the oils.
3. Add the yogurt, oil, eggs, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
4. Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda over the mixture. Add the poppy seeds.
5. Gently fold the ingredients together with a spatula, being careful not to overmix.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack before inverting them.

To Make the Lavender Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1. Bring water to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
2. In a stand mixer bowl, combine the sugar and egg whites.
3. Place the bowl over simmering water, ensuring it does not touch, and whisk until the sugar dissolves, reaching 160°F (70°C).
4. Attach the bowl to a stand mixer with a whisk and beat on high until stiff, glossy peaks form.
5. With the mixer on low, add butter one piece at a time. It may look curdled initially but will come together.
6. Increase speed and whip for 5 more minutes. Switch to paddle attachment, add salt, lavender extract, and food coloring. Beat on medium for 10 minutes until light and airy.

To Assemble and Decorate the Cake

1. Place the first cake layer on a board, secured with a dab of buttercream.
2. Spread about ½ cup (114 g) of buttercream over the surface.
3. Place the second cake layer on top, aligning it carefully.
4. Apply a crumb coat of buttercream and chill for 20 minutes.
5. Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream. Decorate as desired.
6. Remove any nonedible decorations before serving.