Lavender Cake with Earl Grey Buttercream Frosting

So it's been a while. And I'm inconsistent. And I'm not even posting a cookie recipe. So shoot me. :P

I'm not a cake-baker, normally, except when the mood strikes. And the other day? It definitely did. Luckily I'm good at modifications so I could transform the Joy of Baking's White Butter Cake with Wilton's vanilla buttercream frosting into what I was really craving: a lavender-flavored cake with rich Earl Grey frosting.

This recipe's also modified for those of us without fancypants standmixers. I like living in the 80s, apparently, and only use an electronic hand-mixer. If you don't have that, kudos to you -- you must have some mighty fine guns. ;)



CAKE
(YEILD: 2 cakes. I made three. Do what you want, adjust accordingly. I decided not to give you crackpot measurements from when I did the three, though.)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dried lavender
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup white baker's sugar, divided
2 large eggs, separated
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
20 drops blue food coloring
9 drops red food coloring
1 cup milk
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Directions:

1. While eggs are still cold separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another bowl. Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using (about 30 minutes). Also make sure you've got the butter out for the same reason.
   
2. In the meantime, heat the milk on the lowest setting on your stove top. Add lavender when warm. You do not want it to boil, and you do not want a skim to form, but you're basically steeping the flowers in the milk; the longer you steep, the stronger youe cake flavor will be. I think I kept mine on the heat for 15 or so minutes, stirring frequently. Strain the lavender milk and leave uncovered so it also comes to room temperature.
   
3. In a mixing bowl sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
   
4. In large bowl, cream the butter until light in color and super-soft. Add 3/4 cup of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and food coloring, and beat until combined.
5. Start folding in the flour and 1/2 cup of lavender milk with a rubber spatula, alternating in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Set aside. (The other ~1/2 cup of milk is… uh… for you to enjoy. Because you reduced it I didn't want you to not have enough by giving you actual measurements. You will likely lose some milkstuff to the steeping is all.)
   
6. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining whites until combined. Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate.
   
7. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
   
8. Cool the cakes in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Place a wire rack on top of the cake pan and invert, lifting off the pan. Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap in plastic to keep fresh.

FROSTING
(YIELD: 3 cups)

Ingredients:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 tsp prepared Earl Grey tea, room temperature
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 tsp ground Earl Grey tea leaves
1/2 cup Earl Grey milk

Directions:

1. Fix your tea -- brew a regular old cup of Earl Grey and set aside 2 tsps to cool to room temperature. Also fix your milk. Same as it was with the lavender milk, you're going to steep the tea bag in warm-but-not-boiling milk, making sure to not let a skin form on top. Filter your milk.
   
2. Combine ground tea leaves with confectioners' sugar in medium bowl. Set aside.
   
3. In large bowl, cream butter with electric mixer. Add 2 tsp Earl Grey tea.
   
4. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
   
5. Add Earl Grey milk and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.

Theeeeen you carve your cakes up a bit, make sure they're nice and even and pretty, and frost.



Nom your heart out.