Bright lemon zest meets soft floral lavender in this tender layer cake, while a glossy homemade curd adds a pop of citrus through every bite. The color-swirled crumb looks party-ready, yet the batter stirs together with simple pantry staples.
Table of contents
Lemon Lavender Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Medium4
30
minutes40
minutes300
kcal1
hour10
minutesA moist lemon-lavender layer cake filled with bright lemon curd and covered in light floral buttercream.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 2 large lemons
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1 cup whole milk
3 tbsp dried culinary lavender
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp lemon zest
3 cups cake flour
2½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup egg whites (about 7)
1 cup full-fat sour cream
1/2 cup lavender milk (cooled)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Purple & yellow gel food colors
2 cups unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup lavender milk, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Make lemon curd: cook sugar, zest, yolks, and juice until thick; finish with cold butter, strain, and chill.
- Steep lavender in heated milk for 15 minutes, then strain and cool.
- Heat oven to 350 °F and line three 8-inch pans.
- Whisk sugar, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and salt; beat in butter until sandy.
- Add egg whites, sour cream, lavender milk, oil, and vanilla; mix until smooth.
- Color batter, swirl into pans, and bake 33–36 minutes; cool completely.
- Beat butter, lavender milk, and vanilla for frosting.
- Layer cakes with curd, crumb-coat, chill, then finish with colored buttercream.
Notes
- Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate if your kitchen is warm.
What You’ll Need
Gather these items before you start, and the process will move quickly.
- Granulated sugar (for curd and batter)
- Fresh lemons (zest and juice)
- Dried culinary lavender
- Whole milk
- Egg yolks and egg whites
- Cake flour
- Baking powder and fine salt
- Unsalted butter (softened and cold)
- Full-fat sour cream
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Vanilla extract
- Purple & yellow gel food colors (optional)
- Three 8-inch cake pans, parchment rounds
- Medium saucepan and fine-mesh sieve
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Wire cooling racks
Detailed Cooking Instructions
Time needed: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Floral lemon lavender cake layered with bright lemon curd and finished in pastel buttercream.
- Cook lemon curd
Whisk sugar, zest, yolks, and juice over medium-low heat until thick; stir in butter, strain, and chill.
- Infuse lavender milk
Bring milk just to a simmer, add lavender, steep 15 minutes, then strain and cool.
- Prep pans
Heat oven to 350 °F and grease three 8-inch pans with parchment liners.
- Mix dry base
Combine sugar, lemon zest, flour, baking powder, and salt; beat in room-temperature butter until crumbly.
- Add liquids
Blend in egg whites, sour cream, cooled lavender milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth.
- Color & bake
Divide batter, tint, swirl into pans, and bake 33–36 minutes; cool cakes on racks.
- Whip buttercream
Beat butter until fluffy, then pour in lavender milk and vanilla; mix until light.
- Assemble cake
Fill layers with lemon curd, apply crumb coat, chill 30 minutes, then finish with colored frosting.
Tips & Tricks
- For a quicker project, cook the lemon curd a day ahead and keep it chilled; the flavor deepens overnight.
- If you prefer a lemon lavender pound cake texture, swap cake flour for all-purpose and reduce sour cream to 3/4 cup.
- Steep lavender no longer than 15 minutes; a longer soak turns the milk bitter and dominates the lemon notes.
- Turn leftovers into lemon lavender cupcakes by baking the batter in lined tins for 18–20 minutes.
- The frosted cake stays tender at room temperature for two days; refrigerate only when your kitchen is hot.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Lemon’s bright citrus balances lavender’s floral notes, giving desserts a fresh yet calming flavor profile.
Lavender adds a light herbal sweetness similar to honey. Paired with lemon, the cake tastes fresh, slightly floral, and not overpowering.
The traditional Queen Elizabeth cake features dates, walnuts, and a broiled coconut topping; it does not include lavender or lemon.
Together they taste bright, sweet, and lightly floral – similar to a citrus-forward lemonade with a hint of garden aroma.
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