May 2025 Recipe of the Month

Lavender Honey Chamomile Tea Cake

Lavender- and chamomile-milk steeped tea cake with a honey glaze and lavender garnish is shared by Deb N.
A perfect spring sweet featuring the I.H.A. 2025 Herb of the Year, chamomile.

 

Ingredients

Lavender chamomile cake

½ cup whole milk
4 chamomile tea bags
1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
¼ tsp salt
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
2 large eggs room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
¼ cup unsalted butter (58g)
1 ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
1 ½ tsp vegetable oil
½ tbsp dried lavender flowers, culinary grade

Honey glaze

¾ cup powdered sugar (90g)
3 tsp honey
3 tsp milk
½ tsp dried lavender flowers, culinary grade

 

Directions:

  1. Bring the milk to a boil, immediately remove from the heat and add the tea bags. Let steep on the counter until milk is cool. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight to allow the chamomile to be infused into the milk.
  1. Prepare an 8-inch round pan with a circle of parchment paper in the bottom.
    Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    Whisk together flour, salt and baking powder until thoroughly combined and set aside.
  1. Crack eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or into a medium bowl if using hand beaters. Beat the eggs on medium speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly stream the sugar in.
  1. When the sugar is completely in, turn the speed to high and beat for about 7 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
  1. Combine the milk, butter and lavender in a saucepan and gently heat until completely melted. Do not let it overheat or simmer. Strain out the lavender. Set aside the milk butter mixture but do not let it cool off too much (do not do this ahead of time).
  2. Add the flour mixture in three parts to the egg mixture just mixing until almost combined. If you still see flour, finish mixing by hand by folding the batter with a rubber spatula.
  1. Add vanilla and oil to the milk-butter mixture and whisk to combine.
  2. Remove two large spoonfuls of batter and add it to the milk-butter mixture and whisk to completely combine. This tempers your milk mixture so that it does not cook your egg mixture.
  1. Pour the milk mixture into the rest of the egg mixture with the beaters running on low. Continue beating just 10-15 seconds more until combined. Bake for 19-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the glaze and assemble

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, honey and milk. Whisk thoroughly.
  1. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake. Garnish with lavender, if desired.