Salted Honey Lavender Cake (Printable)

Light cake infused with lavender and topped with a sweet salted honey drizzle.

# What you need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
04 - 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1/3 cup honey
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
10 - 2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature

→ Salted Honey Drizzle

11 - 1/3 cup honey
12 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
13 - 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and lavender buds. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat eggs into the butter mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in honey and vanilla extract until combined.
05 - Add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients in two batches, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Combine honey and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in flaky sea salt.
09 - Once the cake has cooled completely, drizzle the salted honey mixture over the top. Allow the drizzle to set for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The lavender flavor is sophisticated without being perfume-like, making you feel like you've mastered something elegant.
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect for something that tastes this thoughtfully composed.
  • That salted honey drizzle transforms a simple cake into something memorable that people actually talk about later.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional for this cake—they're the difference between a silky batter that rises properly and a dense, greasy result that disappoints.
  • Lavender is potent, and culinary grade is crucial; one batch with ornamental lavender taught me that some flavors can tip from delightful to soapy in an instant.
03 -
  • If you're making this ahead, prepare the dry ingredients the night before in a bowl covered with a clean kitchen towel; this one small step made my baking mornings so much calmer.
  • Room temperature milk can be achieved by leaving it out for twenty minutes, or by gently warming it in the microwave for ten seconds—either approach prevents the batter from seizing up.
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