Honey Lavender Sheet Cake

This Honey Lavender Sheet Cake is flavored with chamomile and fresh lavender and makes a delicious treat for celebrations or picnics. Vegan and Gluten-Free options.

I love to celebrate birthdays and other occasions with a unique baked treat. Don't get me wrong, I love a Funfetti dessert more than anyone, but sometimes you want some more unique flavors that are just as celebratory and delicious.

I love chamomile tea, lavender and honey together as a drink. So why not make this classic trio into a sweet treat? This sheet cake is full of herby, floral and summery flavors. It's the perfect dessert to celebrate a summer birthday, a baby shower, or really any day of the week.

How to Make Lavender Honey Sheet Cake

This cake happens to be dairy-free, but it's incredibly moist and fluffy on the inside. And it's simple to make!

Ingredient Notes

Here's what you'll need for this cake recipe:

• Organic cake flour. Cake flour is lighter, and more powdery than all-purpose flour. It makes pastries that are airy and less dense than other baked goods. You can find it in most grocery stores, however you can also use regular flour if you can't find pastry or cake flour.
• Cane sugar. I like to use organic sugar because it's more sustainably harvested and grown.
• Unsalted butter. Make sure your butter is softened before adding to the cake batter. You can place a hot bowl over the stick of butter to soften it in about 5 minutes.
• Eggs. You'll also want your eggs to be at room temperature, so they easily mix into the cake batter. Run warm water over them for a few minutes if you forgot to take them out of the fridge.
• Raw honey. Raw honey has better flavor, texture and is better for you (very high in antioxidants) than processed honey. It might be cloudy-looking, but that's totally normal.
• Almond milk. You can use any plant-based milk you like. Or, if you're not dairy-free, regular cow's milk will also work.
• Chamomile lavender tea bags. If you're not a fan of lavender, you can use regular chamomile tea, but the flavor of your cake may not be as strong.

Chamomile Lavender Buttercream Frosting

While the cake cools, you can make a simple three-ingredient buttercream frosting infused with tea flavor.

Frosting Ingredients

• Powdered sugar. Make sure you're using powdered sugar, not granulated, for the frosting. Otherwise, you'll end up with grainy, dense frosting.
• Unsalted butter. Again, make sure your butter is nice and soft.
• Chamomile lavender tea. You can use loose leaf tea or tea bags.

Can I Make Honey Lavender Cupcakes?

Yes! If you'd like to turn this sheet cake into individual cupcakes, it's easy.

This recipe will make about 30 standard-size cupcakes. Just line a cupcake pan with liners, divide the batter between them, and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. The cupcakes are done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Vegan Honey Lavender Cake

If you'd like to make a vegan version of this cake (which is already dairy-free), you just need a few ingredient swaps:

• Omit the eggs.
• Substitute the butter with softened vegan butter (I like Earth Balance buttery  sticks)
• Add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar into the almond milk to make a tangy vegan buttermilk
• Add 1 teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients
• Instead of using raw honey, use agave, maple syrup, or vegan honee

Honey Lavender Sheet Cake FAQs

HOW LONG CAN I STORE THE CAKE FOR?

Keep leftover cake tightly wrapped using plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days. To store frozen (frosted or unfrosted), simply tightly wrap and cover cake and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature.

CAN I USE ACTUAL LAVENDER IN THIS CAKE INSTEAD OF TEA BAGS?

Of course! You can use 2 teaspoons of culinary lavender and add it to a saucepan over medium-high heat with the 1 cup of milk and let it boil for 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let everything steep for 15-20 minutes---this creates a "lavender milk". Strain and let it cool completely before adding it to the cake per instructions.

CAN THIS CAKE BE MADE AHEAD OR FROZEN FOR LONGER?

Absolutely! You can always bake this cake the night or day before and let it cool, tightly wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. The buttercream frosting can also be made prior and tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge as well. When ready to serve, let cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, frost, and enjoy!

Store frozen (frosted or unfrosted) by simply tightly wrapping and covering cake and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature.

CAN I USE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR FOR THIS CAKE?

Definitely! You can also make this sheet cake with 100% all-purpose flour if that’s what you have on hand. Using cake flour alone makes your cake even more soft, fluffy, and moist, however, it’s still just as fluffy and soft with all-purpose flour! No compromise.

WHY ARE THE INGREDIENTS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE?

It’s always best to have cold ingredients at room temperature to ensure that the mixing process is more seamless and even. Please note that microwaving your butter last minute if you forget to leave it out at room temperature isn’t recommended. Microwaving often changes the consistency of the butter which doesn’t create a nice ‘creaminess’ when mixed.

QUICK BUTTER HACK:

Instead, to quickly soften your butter, run a plate and a bowl under hot water. Place the unwrapped butter on the hot plate and cover with the bowl. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. Then your butter should be nice and soft. You can also cut the butter into a few pieces to speed up the softening process even more.

Can I Make this Honey Lavender Sheet Cake Gluten-Free?

If you would love to make this cake gluten-free, then substituting all-purpose flour with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour is the easiest option. It’s a special blend of gluten-free flours, starches, and xanthan gum, which makes this cake just as soft, fluffy, and airy as the original! They also have a great All-purpose GF flour that works great as well.

Why You’ll Love Honey Lavender Sheet Cake

• It’s super fluffy and moist and beautifully textured.
• Bold honey and lavender flavors.
• Delicious and comforting in every bite.
• Melt in your mouth goodness!
• Can be made as a traditional 2-layer cake, sheet cake, or cupcakes. Your choice!
• Not too sweet, but perfectly sweet at the same time.
• That Whipped Chamomile Lavender Buttercream Frosting is EVERYTHING.

Decorating the Cake

I like to add natural decorations to the sheet cake. I think fresh lavender and a drizzle of raw honey is an elegant and pretty garnish on the pearly white frosting.

Can I Use This Chamomile Lavender Frosting for Other Desserts?

As stated before, this Chamomile Lavender Buttercream on top of my Honey Sheet Cake is one of my favorite recipes on earth and it’s crazy how simple, yet effectively delicious it is.

The buttercream goes perfectly with this sheet cake, but it also goes well with any dessert you pair it with. After combining only a handful of ingredients, you get the best frosting ever!

Feel free to pair your frosting with any of these desserts:

• Cinnamon rolls
• Cupcakes
• Whoopie pies
• Macaron
• Sandwich cookies
• Brownies/blondies
• Layered cake

What to Serve with Chamomile Honey Cake

You can finish a lovely summertime dinner with this sophisticated dessert. Here is some recipe inspiration for your menu planning"

• Buffalo Cauliflower Kale Grilled Pizza
• Healthy Loaded Kale Salad with Spicy Chickpeas
• Jerk Lobster Rolls (Sweet & Spicy BBQ)

More Favorite Cake Recipes

• Perfect One-Bowl Lemon Birthday Sheet Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Olive Oil Cake
• Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Cake
• Confetti Chocolate Chip Cake
• Blueberry Oatmeal Cake + Cream Cheese Frosting
• Vegan Funfetti Cake + Vanilla Buttercream
• Lemon + Strawberry Layer Spring Cake

MADE OUR #RECIPE(S)?

If you make this Honey Lavender Sheet Cake or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love!

Chamomile Lavender + Honey Sheet Cake

3.67 from 15 votes

This light and airy sheet cake is flavored with chamomile lavender tea and sweetened with raw honey for a healthy and sweet summertime dessert.

Author: Shanika

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Serves: 12 servings

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Ingredients

SHEET CAKE:

• ▢ 3 cups organic cake flour 
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ▢ pinch of ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1 cup organic cane sugar
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp.  (That's 2 sticks!)
• ▢ 3 large organic eggs, room temp.
• ▢ 2 tsps vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ cup raw honey
• ▢ 1 cup Almond milk (You can use your fave plant-based milk)
• ▢ 3 Chamomile lavender tea bags

CHAMOMILE LAVENDER BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

• ▢ 5 cups organic powdered sugar, sifted
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp. (That's 2 sticks!)
• ▢ 3 Tbsps Chamomile lavender tea mixture

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:

• ▢ Dried lavender flowers
• ▢ Honey, for drizzle

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

SHEET CAKE:

• Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease and line with parchment paper (with two sides hanging out) an 8-inch square pan (for a thicker cake) or a 9 x 13 baking pan.
• In a medium saucepan, add the milk and tea bags over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. After it reaches a boil, turn off heat and let tea bags simmer (while covered with a lid) to allow everything to infuse together and milk to cool down, about 10-15 minutes.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt until combined. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, add together the sugar and unsalted butter, mixing by using a hand-mixer on medium-high speed, until fluffy and airy, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add in the eggs (one at a time), vanilla, honey, and the milk-tea bag mixture (saving 3 Tbsps for later), followed by the dry ingredients, mixing everything together until well combined, smooth, and lump-free, about 2-3 minutes.
• Pour batter evenly into prepared pan, spreading everything around for a perfect evenness.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center of the cake comes out clean when tested with a toothpick or butter knife.
• Once done, remove the cake from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes before carefully lifting it from the pan and unto a cooling rack to cool completely.

TO MAKE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

• In a large bowl, add in the butter and beat using a hand-mixer on medium-high speed, until light, pale, and smooth. Add in the remaining 3 Tbsps of milk-tea bag mixture and continue to mix until incorporated.
• Add in the powdered sugar and milk until completely smooth, thick, and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. NOTE: If buttercream is too 'runny', add additional powdered sugar (1 tablespoon at a time); if too thick, add additional milk (1 tablespoon at a time).
• Using a metal or rubber spatula, top cooled cake with buttercream frosting and evenly spread over the top until fully coated and smooth. Top with dried lavender flowers and/or drizzle of honey. Wallah!
• Slice into medium-sized squares and enjoy!
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

• STORAGE: Keep leftover cake tightly wrapped using plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days. To store frozen (frosted or unfrosted), simply tightly wrap and cover cake and freeze for up to 2-3 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bring to room temperature.
• CUPCAKES: This recipe yields about 30 cupcakes. Simply bake for 18-20 minutes instead, until centers come out clean.
• FLOUR: If you don’t have cake flour, you can always just use all-purpose flour instead. 
• VEGAN OPTION: To make this cake vegan, simply omit the eggs and substitute the unsalted butter with vegan butter (softened); Apple Cider Vinegar (1 Tbsp) to be mixed in with the milk and tea bag mixture; add 1 teaspoon baking soda to dry ingredients. Also, sweetened with Agave or vegan Honee in replace of raw honey.
• MAKE AHEAD: You can always bake this cake the night or day before and let it cool, tightly wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. The buttercream frosting can also be made prior and tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge as well. When ready to serve, let cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour, frost, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 506kcal | Carbohydrates: 104g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 1014IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg

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Honey Lavender Sheet Cake

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