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Perfect Lemon Lavender Layer Cake with Honey Mascarpone Frosting

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A bright and floral lemon lavender layer cake paired with a creamy honey-sweetened mascarpone frosting, perfect for special occasions or a cozy treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tbsp culinary dried lavender buds (food-grade)
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons)
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ½ cups (340g) mascarpone cheese, chilled
  • ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream, cold
  • ¼ cup (85g) honey
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional: a pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans or line with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and dried lavender buds. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  4. Beat in eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Scrape down bowl sides as needed.
  5. Stir lemon zest and lemon juice into buttermilk. Add this mixture alternately with dry ingredients to the batter, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined.
  6. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops. Tap pans gently to release air bubbles.
  7. Bake for 28-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and cakes spring back when pressed.
  8. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  9. In a chilled bowl, whip mascarpone cheese with heavy cream, honey, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Avoid overwhipping.
  10. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of frosting over the top. Repeat with second layer and frost the outside smoothly or with rustic swirls.
  11. Refrigerate cake for at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors meld and frosting set.

Notes

[‘Use food-grade culinary dried lavender buds and do not exceed 1 tablespoon to avoid a soapy taste.’, ‘Room temperature eggs, butter, and buttermilk ensure smooth batter and even baking.’, ‘Spoon and level flour instead of scooping directly to avoid dense cake.’, ‘Whip mascarpone frosting gently to soft peaks to prevent graininess; add a splash of cream if it starts separating.’, ‘Grease, flour, or parchment line pans well to prevent sticking and cracked edges.’, ‘Test cake doneness starting at 28 minutes with a toothpick to avoid overbaking.’, ‘Keep frosting chilled until just before assembling if kitchen is warm.’, ‘For gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend.’, ‘Fresh lavender sprigs can be infused into buttermilk for extra aroma in spring and summer.’]

Nutrition

Keywords: lemon cake, lavender cake, honey mascarpone frosting, layer cake, floral dessert, easy cake recipe, special occasion cake

Find it online: https://coracooks.com/perfect-lemon-lavender-layer-cake-recipe-with-honey-mascarpone-frosting-easy-step-by-step-guide/