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POUND CAKE WITH BLUEBERRIES AND LAVENDER SYRUP

Created by rsRick, Average user rating vote image

/ 4 3 Users Voted

Description

We used dried lavender in this syrup because it gives the syrup a lovely pale hue. Fresh lavender wont lend the same color, but it does give the syrup a more powerful floral flavor.

Ingredients

At a glance

Cuisine

Main Ingredient

Cooking Method

Difficulty

Course/Dish

Tortes / Cakes / Gateau’s

Makes

6 to 8 ser

For cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature for 30 minutes
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
For blueberries in syrup
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons dried edible lavender flowers or 2 tablespoons fresh edible lavender flowers
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
10 oz blueberries (1 pt)
Special equipment: a 9- by 5- by 3-inch metal loaf pan

Methods/steps

Make cake:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour loaf pan, knocking out excess flour.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 5 with a handheld. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in zest and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour and mixing until just incorporated.
Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto rack and cool completely.
Prepare blueberries in syrup:
Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in lavender, then steep 30 minutes for dried lavender or 40 minutes for fresh. Pour syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding lavender. Stir in lemon juice and blueberries.
Spoon berries and syrup over slices of cake just before serving.

Additional Tips

• Cake can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Lavender syrup (without berries) can be made 2 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature. Add berries just before serving.

Reviews

Rate this recipe

Comment by jovanna , Wednesday, 29 March 2006 vote image

The best pound cake I ever had.