Chamomile Lavender + Honey Sheet Cake
This light and airy sheet cake is flavored with chamomile lavender tea and sweetened with raw honey for a healthy and sweet summertime dessert.
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
SHEET CAKE:
- 3 cups organic cake flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp 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
- 1/2 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
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 Tbsp at a time); if too thick, add additional milk (1 Tbsp 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!
Notes
- 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 tsp 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!