Buttermilk Butter Cake with Lavender Lemon Streusel

Here the last gasp cake of the summer. However, I doubt if this will be my last streusel cake of the season. I can’t seem to stop creating new ones. These flavors scream “spring/summer,” even though you can source these ingredients year round.

This lemon lavender cake was so delicious, I wanted to squeeze it in before the Fall flavor bombardment begins.

I grow lavender in my garden every year. Every year, I have yet to take the time to figure out how to properly harvest and dry the buds. So, for this recipe, I used store bought dried lavender I had hanging out in my cabinet.

As with most streusel cakes, this one essentially has two steps, making the cake and making the streusel. There are two other steps to be aware of:

1) Because the cake is yeasted, you will have to let the cake batter rise for 45 minutes.

2) Halfway through the baking, the cake is removed from the oven, more buttermilk is poured over the top, then the cake is returned for its final turn in the oven.

This cake is perfect for afternoon tea/coffee breaks. The recipe serves 24. The lavender lemon special flavor makes it a perfect fit a brunch or daytime party any time of the year.

Buttermilk Butter Cake with

Lavender Lemon Streusel

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Rise Time: 45 minutes

Bake Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 24 pieces

Ingredients:

3+1/4 cups plus 4 cups all -purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1+1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 packages (7 grams each) active dry yeast
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) plus 1+1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons dried lavender

Directions:

Make the Cake:

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3+1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar and salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
Heat 5 tablespoons of the buttermilk until lukewarm and dissolve the yeast in the buttermilk.
Add the yeasted buttermilk to the impression in the dry ingredients.
Mix everything together. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let stand in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Cut the 1/4 cup of butter into small pieces. Add the pieces, the egg, the vanilla extract and one cup of the remaining buttermilk to the dough. Knead together with your hands or use the dough hook attachment of your mixer.
Cover the bowl, once again with a dish towel and let stand in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Make the Streusel:

Whisk together the 4 cups of flour and 1+1/4 cups of sugar.
Melt the remaining 1+1/4 cups of butter and add it to the dry ingredients.
Add the dried lavender, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the lemon zest.
Use your hands or the dough hook of your mixer to knead into streusel crumbs.

Bake the Cake:

Grease and flour a sheet pan (12’x15′).
Knead the dough once more. Sprinkle it with flour and roll it out into the prepared pan.
Cover the pan and let the dough rest for another 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Divide the lavender streusel evenly over the top of the cake.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the remaining buttermilk evenly over the top.
Place the pan back in the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool.
Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of fresh lemon zest over the top of the cake, cut and serve.