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ROSEMARY LAVENDER CAKE

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Ingredients
  

CAKE

  • 5 large egg whites at room temperature
  • 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 cups cake flour, sifted
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar **If you do not have cake flour just lying around you can use all purpose flour. Cake flour is obviously better…but this works too. 1 cup of cake flour = 1 cup of all purpose flour – 2 TBS.
  • 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes
  • 3-4 springs of fresh rosemary (optional)
  • 3-4 sprigs of fresh lavender (optional)
  • 3 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped

BUTTERCREAM

  • 1 lb (2 cups) room temperature butter
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lavender extract
  • water
  • candy thermometer

Instructions
 

For the cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three 8" cake pans with pam and parchment.
  • In a medium bowl combine the egg whites chopped rosemary and vanilla set aside.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together on low speed for 30 seconds.
  • Add the butter, and mix on a low speed until just combined.
  • Add milk and mix until just combined. Increase to medium speed and mix for 1-2 minutes.
  • Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 2 separate batches, beat on medium speed until it is just combined.
  • Divide the batter between the three cake pans.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let cool on racks until cooled completely.

For the buttercream:

  • In a small sauce pan put 3/4 cup of sugar. Cover the sugar with a little bit of water until the sugar looks like wet sand. Cook on a stove top over high heat until it reaches 248 degrees (you will need a candy thermometer).
  • While the sugar is cooking, whip eggs whites in a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at a high speed until they reach soft peaks.
  • Once the egg whites reach soft peaks add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and mix on a high speed until the egg whites reach stiff peaks. You can keep mixing the egg whites at a high speed until the sugar is done cooking.
  • Once the sugar reaches 248 degrees, place the mixer on high speed and stream sugar into egg white mixture. Mix on a high speed for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, add the room temperature butter and mix on a high speed for 5-10 minutes until the butter is fully combined and the mixture resembles buttercream.
  • Add honey, vanilla and lavender and mix until just combined.

Assembly

  • Once cakes are cool, take them out of the pans, and place one layer onto a cake plate. Using an offset spatula, spread 1 cup of frosting on the cake.
  • Turn the second layer upside down (so the bottom is face up) and gently place it on top of the first layer. Spread another cup of frosting on the cake.
  • Turn the third layer upside down and gently place in on top of the second layer.
  • Spread a generous amount of frosting on the top of the cake. Spread the frosting to the edge of the cake and then start to work your way down the sides.
  • Using a bench scraper or an offset spatula, scrape some of the frosting off the sides of the cake so you can see the cake layers.
  • Using twine or string, tie together a couple of springs of rosemary and lavender and place on top of the cake.

Notes

* Serves 10-14 people depending on how big you cut your cake slices.
*Makes 1 Cake