French Lavender Almond Cake

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Another Daring Gourmet original to enjoy before the Summer is through. This cake is special.  The smell of it baking, its magnificent flavor, its delicate texture and graceful appearance…this cake is absolutely delightful.

I love lavender.  It’s such a pretty flower, has such a wonderful aroma, and has so many amazing uses.  It will always remind me of the nearly 7 years I lived in England.  We lived about an hour from Norfolk which is home to the famous Norfolk Lavender Farm.  My mom and I would often take a leisurely drive up there, walk through the aromatic lavender gardens, and visit the shop to sample all their lavender-made goodies.  Lavender also reminds me of the couples trip my husband and I took to the south of France a few years ago.  We explored Provence and were able to drive through miles and miles and lavender fields.  It was stunning!  So lavender holds an element of nostalgia for me and it made this cake all the more enjoyable.

While this cake is quite easy to make, its a dessert fit for the most elegant of tea rooms.  Made with very little flour, it relies on satiny whipped egg whites and ground almonds to provide its wonderful texture and “lift.”

No fancy assembling or decorating required.  The pretty lavender-colored hue of the glaze sprinkled with lavender blossoms gives this cake class and elegance.  Lay a few fresh or dried sprigs of lavender next to it, and the presentation is complete.

For this recipe you can use dried lavender flowers from your own garden (lavender is so easy to dry and store) or you can purchase some from a specialty shop or online.

French Almond Lavender Cake Recipe

Let’s get started!

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg yolk and beat until combined.  (I’m not sure why I only added one yolk for the picture, but there are 3 yolks in this recipe.)

Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a separate, clean bowl with no trace of oil in it, beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until satiny and stiff peaks form.  (It definitely looks like I need new beaters!)

The egg whites are ready when you pull the beaters out and a stiff peak forms and curls over just at the tip.

In a separate bowl, sift the cake flour with the baking powder.

Stir the ground almonds into the batter mixture.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of the egg whites.

Then gently fold in 1/3 of the flour mixture.  Repeat with the remaining egg whites and flour, being careful not to over-stir.

Grease an 8×8 inch square baking pan.  I use and LOVE Magic Line pans.  Made in the USA with hand-forged aluminum.

In a preheated oven at 350 degrees F, bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

While the cake is sitting, make the glaze:  Combine the lemon juice and lavender flowers in a small saucepan or microwaveable dish, bring to a boil, remove and let steep for at least 5 minutes.  Use a mesh sieve to strain the lavender flowers.

Carefully invert the cake and the place top side up on a cake platter.  Poke some small holes around the top of the cake with a toothpick to allow the glaze to fully absorb.

Combine the lemon lavender mixture with the powdered sugar.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Pour the glaze over the cake.

Use a knife to evenly spread it.  While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle a few lavender flowers over it.  Let the cake sit until the glaze has set, at least 15 minutes.

For more delicious French goodies try our:

• French Almond Plum Cake
• Cherry Clafoutis
• Blackberry Clafoutis
• French Nonnettes