This Chocolate Lavender Cake is a beautiful light sponge which is perfect for parties and as a show-stopper cake. Sandwiched together with smooth chocolate buttercream and decorated with even more lavender on top. I hope you enjoy this delicious chocolate sponge cake.
Top Questions
Does chocolate and lavender go together?
What does lavender cake taste like?
What does lavender taste like in cake?
How can I add lavender to cakes? How do you use lavender in a cake?
Can I use normal lavender in my cake?
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredients
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
Chocolate
Edible Lavender
How to make – step by step
For the full recipe and instructions scroll to the bottom of the page for the recipe card.
How to decorate the Chocolate Lavender Cake
To decorate I added a small ring of dried edible lavender around the outside of the cake on top of the icing. It looked gorgeous and instantly made it obvious what the flavour could be. The other reason I didn’t add much is they aren’t the nicest to eat like that but it’s manageable in small portions. In the fridge I found some strawberries and I wanted to add them too as I had them and I thought why not. I love strawberries and chocolate and they go so well with the lavender.
To add the ring of dried lavender I cut a 6 inch circle from greaseproof paper and placed it top. Once I had added the lavender I removed it to get the lovely outline of edible lavender.
Top Tips
Serving Suggestions
Equipment
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Substitutions and variations
Storing / Making ahead of time options
You can store this cake in an air tight box for up to 3 days.
FAQS
Does chocolate and lavender go together?
What does lavender cake taste like?
The lavender cake tastes wonderful floral and the aroma of the cake is beautiful and delicate. The key when making it is to not use too much lavender. What you will notice above all is the smell.
What does lavender taste like in cake?
How can I add lavender to cakes? How do you use lavender in a cake?
To use lavender in a cake you can use lavender extract which is concentrated so you don’t need to use much. You could also use edible dried lavender which you will need to ground down using a pestle and mortar. Or you can add edible dried lavender to caster sugar and let the flavour and smell absorb. Then use the sugar for the recipe
Can I use normal lavender in my cake?
When baking you must use edible lavender! Normal lavender isn’t edible and can cause stomach ache or worse. Please order your edible lavender plants or dried from a proper place. I am now growing an edible lavender plant which is ready to be used for the next cake.
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Recipe
Chocolate Lavender Cake
Equipment
- 3 x 8 inch cake tins
Ingredients
Cake
- 300 g unsalted butter
- 300 g golden caster sugar (or regular caster sugar)
- 4 tbsp Lavender (dried edible lavender)
- 100 g dark chocolate (or milk)
- 6 large eggs
- 220 g self-raising flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 100 g cocoa powder
Filling and decoration
- 225 g unsalted butter
- 450 g icing sugar / confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons milk (you might need less or more)
- 280 g dark chocolate
- edible lavender (to decorate)
- cherry jam (or your favourite jam)
Instructions
Making the chocolate lavender cake
- You will need three 8 inch cake tins, greased and lined.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ 160ºC fan/ 356ºF.
- Melt the chocolate over hot water (making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water) or in short bursts in the microwave.
- Using a pestle and mortar or a food processor grind the edible lavender up.
- Cream together butter, sugar and ground edible lavender until light and fluffy.
- When the chocolate is cool to touch add it to the mix.
- Add the eggs one at a time and mix well.
- Sieve the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder in to a bowl and then fold it in to the mix gently.
- Divide the mix between the three tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Allow to cool in the tins for a bit before removing and leaving to cool fully on wire rack.
Making the chocolate lavender buttercream
- Make the delicious buttercream!
- Melt the chocolate and set aside to cool.
- In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer cream together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and milk. Give it a good mix for 3 minutes and it will be super creamy and smooth.
- Add the melted, now cooled, chocolate and mix in.
- When the cakes are cold, sandwich them together with a layer of jam and then the chocolate buttercream. (I love using cherry jam for this recipe)
- On the top tier cover it with a gorgeous layer of buttercream and a sprinkling of edible lavender. Don’t add too much as it is pretty strong.
- Serve with fresh fruit and enjoy.
Notes
- To make a smaller cake you can divide the mix in half and share between 2 8 inch cake tins.
- It will last about three days in an airtight container in a cool place.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
what an incredibly pretty cake! this looks stunning. – love the glossy ganache. I love the neat tiers you have here Sisley.
Thank you so much Nazima, I’m still very surprised they were so neat. It’s a first for me 🙂
This cake looks so pretty Sisley, and I love the combination of flavours you’ve used. Definitely a showstopper here!
Thank you Lucy. It’s nice to make something which stood so proudly in the middle of the table.
That’s beautiful. Don’t worry about finding a bigger tin – just use it as an excuse to eat it more quickly 😉
That’s my kind of thinking! 🙂
How pretty! I’m so intrigued by this flavour combination xx
It was very good. It seemed very grown up and would work so well as a proper afternoon tea!