I have baked my Lavender Lemon Sunshine Shortbreads so many times for TV cameras in the past month, I can just about do it in my sleep! But sometimes a cake is more dressy and formal than a cookie, and this is a great moist slicer for when something a bit fancy is required. I served this to guests last night with a chilled rose and dressed it up with a tiny dollop of rhubarb goat cheese. The bright yellow and blush pink were a lovely picture with some lavender flowers sprinkled around on the flowered China plates. And yummy, too!
Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup goat cheese, or thick Greek plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs. dried lavender
Glaze:
1/4 cup powdered sugar (more or less, depending on desired consistency)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
lavender to sprinkle
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9x5 loaf pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each until fully incorporated. Add goat cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice, mixing until incorporated. (I use the zest and juice - divided between cake and glaze - of one large lemon.)
Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat on low just until blended. Gently stir in the lavender.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the loaf pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
for the glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice and stir until well combined. Adjust. Drizzle over cooled cake and sprinkle with lavender.
Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup goat cheese, or thick Greek plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs. dried lavender
Glaze:
1/4 cup powdered sugar (more or less, depending on desired consistency)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
lavender to sprinkle
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 9x5 loaf pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each until fully incorporated. Add goat cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice, mixing until incorporated. (I use the zest and juice - divided between cake and glaze - of one large lemon.)
Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat on low just until blended. Gently stir in the lavender.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the loaf pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
for the glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice and stir until well combined. Adjust. Drizzle over cooled cake and sprinkle with lavender.
