Hello friends, long time no see! I hope all of you are enjoying summer as much as I’ve been thus far- it’s hard to believe its already August! I’ve spent a lot of my days at beautiful Oregon rivers, soaking in all of Mother Nature’s glory. This cake was created for my very special friend’s birthday! It’s super moist with fresh summer lavender, zesty lemon, and a hint of cardamom to tie it all together.
Vegan Lavender Lemon Cake: Yields 2- 1/2 full- 6″ cake rounds
- 1:1 gluten free or all purpose flour- 3 & 1/2 cups
- stevia or white sugar- 2 cups
- baking soda- 2 tsp.
- salt- 1 tsp.
- 1 tsp. ground cardamom
- non-dairy milk- 2 & 1/3 cups
- vanilla extract- 2 tsp.
- almond extract- 1/2 tp.
- lemon extract – 1/2 tsp. (optional)
- vegetable oil- 2/3 cup
- lemon zest & juice- 2 small lemons
- lavender buds- 1 tbsp.
Directions:
- Set oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small sauce pot, add the non-dairy milk and lavender buds. Bring to a simmer, cut heat and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes. Set in fridge to cool.
- Whisk together dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl & set aside.
- Once milk is cooled, measure out liquid ingredients and add to the dry ingredients. Mix just until batter comes together.
- Spray and parchment line baking pans and fill each round 1/2 way with batter, aiming to get the same amount of batter in each round. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered, cover with foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Cakes are done with a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool completely before cutting and frosting.
Vegan Sprinkle Frosting:
- vegetable shortening- 2 cups (or your favorite vegan butter)
- powdered sugar- 3-4 cups
- lemon zest & juice- 1 each
- almond extract- 1 tsp.
- vanilla extract – 2 tsp.
- ground cardamom- 1/2 tsp.
- salt- 1/4 tsp. (optional)
- lavender steeped non-dairy milk- 3-4 tbsp.
- vegan rainbow sprinkles- 1/2 – 1 cup (as many as you want!)
Directions:
- In a kitchen aid with the paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, on low cream the shortening with the powdered sugar, adding the powdered sugar slowly.
- Add in the lemon zest & juice, almond extract, vanilla extract, cardamom and salt. Cream together for about 1 minute.
- Add in the lavender milk 1 tbsp. at a time, allowing each addition to cream together completely. Add enough milk to desired consistency.
- Add in the sprinkles and mix to incorporate.
- Reserve on counter at room temperature until ready to use.
Direction for Decorating Cake:
- Take each cooled layer and slice off the very top to create a flat surface. Place bottom layer on desired serving platter.
- Scoop 1/2 cup of frosting onto the middle of the layer, spreading the frosting just to the edges, creating a smooth & flat layer of frosting.
- Place second layer on top, and scoop about 1/2 cup frosting onto the middle of the cake. Spread with offset spatula to create a smooth & flat layer of frosting on the top of the cake.
- Using your offset spatula, spread frosting onto the sides of the cake. Continue to spread and scrape frosting to create a smooth & flat layer of frosting all around the cake.
- Top with sprinkles if desired and hold in fridge until ready to serve!
I was always one to be against shortening, but for my vegan friends I have to say I am impressed how delicious this frosting came out. The acidity of the lemon cuts through the shortening and creates a great texture. Such a yummy cake everyone can indulge in. I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe, leave me a comment about what you think of this cake. I love to hear from you guys! Also, share this recipe with a friend who is the baker in your tribe. And lastly, happy belated birthday to all you summer babies out there! Cheers!
A Taste Of Grace 