Lavender! It's all about the Lavender!

At convention this year, I served Lavender Shortbread with coffee. In discussing lavender-scented recipes I also mentioned the Lavender Lemon Pound Cake I've made and was then quickly persuaded to post those recipes here! The links to the original recipes are posted, but for ease, here is the recipe without leaving! Hang out here and check out my other posts, too! You're always welcome! :)

Lavender Shortbread

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons teaspoons dried lavender flowers

zest of one lemon

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

course sugar, optional

In a food processor, gently blend powdered sugar, dried lavender, and lemon zest until lavender flowers and lemon are well incorporated. 

Add softened butter to the food processor and cream with the sugar. 

Add flour and salt and mix just to combine. 

Remove the dough from food processor and on a large piece of parchment or waxed paper, delicately form into an 8-inch log. 

Carefully roll the paper around dough to create a smooth log and chill far at least 4 hours or up to a few days. 

When ready to bake, heat oven to 375 degrees and slice chilled dough into 1/4-inch slices. 

Optional: roll or sprinkle in a course sanding sugar before placing in the oven. 

Bake for 13-15 minutes, then remove from oven and cool completely before serving.

Lavender Lemon Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

3/4 cup (6 ounces, weight) 2% Greek Yogurt 

1 Tbs. lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 Tbs. dried lavender seeds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease one 9x5 (or two 5.75x3 mini) loaf pan and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each until fully incorporated.

Slowly add the dry ingredients, alternating with the Greek yogurt, to the creamed butter and sugar and mix just until incorporated. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest and beat on low just until blended. Gently stir in the lavender seeds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 25 minutes or until cake tests done. Cool in the loaf pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.