Bumble Bee Lavender Loaf Cake

July in Southern Sonoma County and the lavender is at its absolute best. Bush after bush scents the rocky hillside, as bumble bees have a field day before they buzz off into the woods at the top of the hill to make wild honey in natural, un-tampered hives wedged into fallen tree trunks off the beaten track.

Cooking with lavender takes a steady hand. Just a tad of the dried, chopped, aromatic wonder will suffice to infuse a summer-time loaf cake, cookies, ice cream, you name it, it all sounds good.

I chose a favorite family recipe for a tasty, simple Madeira Cake, perfect for infusing with a tiny, half teaspoon of dry lavender foraged from the vineyard pathways.

Bumble Bee Lavender Loaf Cake

2 sticks of unsalted butter

1 cup of baker's sugar

3 large, farm fresh eggs

2 cups of organic baking flour

3 teaspoons of baking soda

5 ounces of milk

1/2 a teaspoon of finely chopped, dry lavender

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Cream butter, sugar until light and fluffy, adding eggs, one at a time, along with 3/4 of the flour and baking powder in batches until thoroughly blended. Add milk and the rest of the flour, beat. Stir in lavender. Add to baking pan and bake in center of oven for 50 minutes. Cool, remove from pan and paper, present with a sprig of lavender on top  and serve with freshly whipped cream, slices of white peach or berries.

 

 

 

Comments

[Lori George]

Michael and I miss your wonderful deserts. I think I will have to try this with Marcella. To bad we do not have the lavendar of Sonoma county. But we will see how it turns out.

[Frances]

There must be some wonderful heritage desserts from your part of the country, Lori, see if you can uncover a few for me to try! Tell Michael I'll make him an extra large fresh fruit trifle next time I see him xx