Agnes Devareaux, Village Tea Room
Yields one loaf
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound sweet cream butter
- 1 tablespoon dried lavender (organic)
- 5 large farm eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (King Arthur)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoons grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Liberty Orchards lavender jelly
Method
Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter & flour pans.
- Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon lavender. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, then strain, discarding the lavender. Set aside to cool.
- Beat the eggs and 1 cup sugar until thick and pale (about 5 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour and salt.
- Put the flour along with the lemon zest over the egg and sugar mixture mix slowly to just combine. Finish incorporating by folding with a spatula.
- In a separate bowl, whisk 2 cups of the batter with the melted butter and vanilla.
- Fold this back into the remaining batter. Pour mixture into the prepared pan.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes at 350º F. Cover with foil if top browns too much.
- Combine lavender jelly, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water in a pan. Bring to a simmer and stir until the jelly dissolves.
- Transfer the completed cake to a rack. Brush with half the lavender syrup, let cool for 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan, invert onto a wire rack and brush bottom and sides with remaining syrup. Let cool completely. Serve with Earl Grey tea.