Each year, we attend an annual camping pot-luck dinner held by our friends. This year, I decided to bake a cake. As Friday rolled around, I was pressed for time getting ready and wanted to let Kyan do Movie Friday on his own while I hustle on my baking. Kyan surprised me and said he wanted to bake with me instead of watching a movie (he loves his once a month movie Fridays). I am so proud of this boy. This year for Frazierstock, I made a Lemon Lavender Cake. Right up there with basil and jasmine, lavender is an impeccable partner to lemon. The marriage is delicately elegant. This would make a wonderful wedding cake.
I love having Kyan in the kitchen with me. He is attentive and listens well to instructions even though he'll still do things like separating the egg yolks successfully and then dropping it in with the whites. The baking takes a little longer than if I were to crank it out on my own, but the fun and quality time spent in engaging him was definitely worth slowing down for.
Lemon Lavender Cake
(Wheat-free, Refined sugar-free)
For the cake:
3 cups all sprouted spelt flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups turbinado sugar
1 1/4 cup rice milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs and 2 egg yolks
zest of two lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 9 inch pans and set to the side. Sift dry ingredients together and set to the side, mix rice milk with apple cider vinegar and set to the side as well.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed and then add in the sugar and beat until fluffy and incorporated. Scrape down the sides then add in the lemon zest, vanilla extract and eggs. Scrape down the sides once everything is mixed in. Next, in alternating batches, add in the dry ingredients and then the buttermilk. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until everything is combined. Pour batter into both prepared pans, making sure the batter is evenly distributed, approximately 800g each. Pop in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the lavender simple syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 tablespoon dried lavender
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and stir together. Heat over medium-high heat until the liquid comes to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let the mixture cook for an additional 10 minutes. The liquid should turn into a syrup. Take it off the heat to cool and reserve 1/4 cup of the syrup for the buttercream.
For the lavender buttercream:
3 egg whites
3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup lavender simple syrup
Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Carefully whisk together to combine. Place a medium saucepan filled with about 2 inches of water, over medium heat. Place the bowl with your sugar and egg whites over the heated water (to create a double boiler) and heat egg mixture until hot to the touch or until a candy thermometer inserted into the liquid reads 155-165 degrees.
Once the liquid is hot, transfer the bowl back onto the electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on high until the bowl comes back to room temperature. Stop the mixer and switch the whisk attachment to a paddle. Beat on medium-low speed and add in the vanilla, softened butter and lavender simple syrup. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and beat everything together until the buttercream is smooth.
For the lemon glaze:
2 cups rice malt syrup
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons coconut flour
1-2 tablespoons rice milk
Pour sugar into a bowl and add the fresh lemon juice. Stir together. Add in your milk to the mixture and stir until everything is dissolved and smooth.
To assemble:
Brush both cakes with lavender simple syrup. Place one of the cakes on a cake stand and spread the buttercream on top, then gently top off with the other cake. Carefully pour the lemon glaze over the top of the finished cake. Keep refrigerated and remove from fridge 20 mins before serving. (The frosting will melt if left out in the summer heat.) Slice into the cake, grab a plate and a fork, and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from here