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Iced Lavender Loaf
Emily Davenport
2 loaves
35 minutes
176
British
Baking recipes
Fragrant and very pretty - this cake is irresistible! Try out this Iced Lavender Loaf for an Afternoon Tea or just as a treat.
A Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.
Ingredients
- Milk 75ml (3fl oz)
- Fresh lavender flower heads 6, plus extra for decoration, or 1 tsp dried lavender
- Unsalted butter 175g (6oz) softened
- Caster sugar 175g (6oz)
- Lemon 1, finely grated zest
- Eggs 3, beaten
- Self-raising flour 175g (6oz)
- Icing sugar 225g (8oz)
- Violet food colouring
Directions
Put milk and flower heads, or dried lavender, in a small pan and bring slowly to simmering point over a low heat. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 30 minutes. Strain milk into a bowl and discard lavender.
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4.
Beat butter, caster sugar and lemon zest together until soft and creamy.
Beat in eggs a little at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg. Fold in remaining flour and 2 tablespoons of lavender milk.
Spoon the mixture into two loaf tins and level the top of each one.
Stand the tins on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in tins for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Sieve icing sugar into a bowl and stir in enough lavender milk to make a smooth paste that just holds its shape.
Tint icing by mixing in a little violet food colouring and then spread it over tops of cakes with a palette knife.
Decorate each cake with small sprigs of lavender flowers. Leave to set before serving.