Cake of the Day: Giada’s Lavender Honey Cake From ‘Happy Cooking’
They taste good, they look good, and they’re made by good people — talented bakers from around the world. Today, Food Network Star Giada De Laurentiis shares a fragrant honey cake from her cookbook, Happy Cooking.
Photograph by Megan Fawn Schlow.
Lavender Honey Cake
Serves 8
Butter, for the cake pan
Lavender Syrup:
2 tablespoons dried lavender
⅓ cup sugar
Cake:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup semolina flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried lavender, chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup orange blossom honey
2 eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup lavender syrup
Vanilla Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped out and pod reserved for another use
1 tablespoon orange blossom honey
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Cut a circle of parchment to line the bottom of the pan and butter the parchment. Set aside.
For the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine ⅔ cup water and the lavender and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 4 minutes or until reduced by half. Turn off the heat and steep for 3 minutes. Strain and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
For the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lavender. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, vanilla, coconut oil, honey, eggs, and cooled lavender syrup.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together using a rubber spatula until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
For the vanilla cream: In a large bowl, place the cream, vanilla seeds, and honey. Using a handheld mixer, beat on high for about 3 minutes or until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of cake with a dollop of the vanilla cream.
Reprinted with permission from Happy Cooking: Make Every Meal Count…Without Stressing Out by Giada De Laurentiis (Pam Krauss Books).
Get your bake on with more honey cakes:
Honey-Almond Snack Cake from ‘Baking With Less Sugar’
Honey Cake With Orange Buttercream From ‘Scandinavian Baking’
