Description

This Vanilla Lavender Layer Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache is a beautifully delicate and flavorful dessert featuring moist vanilla cake layers soaked with a fragrant lavender syrup. The cake is adorned with a colorful, fluffy buttercream frosting and finished with a smooth dark chocolate ganache drizzle. Perfect for special occasions or a sophisticated afternoon treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup whole milk

Buttercream Frosting

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whole milk
Pinch of salt
Pink food coloring
Yellow food coloring
Purple food coloring

Lavender Syrup

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried culinary lavender

Dark Chocolate Ganache

1 (3.2 ounce) bar dark Chocolove dark chocolate, chopped
4 tablespoons heavy cream

Garnish

Flowers for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Make the lavender syrup: In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and dried culinary lavender. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring for 30 seconds until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool completely. Once cooled, strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the lavender buds.
Prepare cake pans and preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Set them aside.
Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
Combine wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth and well incorporated. Add the melted butter, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and sour cream and whisk again until smooth. Finally, incorporate the whole milk, mixing until just combined.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake the cakes: Place the pans in the preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them onto cooling racks to cool completely.
Prepare the buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar until just combined. Add the vanilla extract and milk, then increase speed to medium-high, whipping for another 2-3 minutes to achieve a fluffy texture. Add a pinch of salt and whip for an additional 2-3 minutes. Divide the buttercream evenly into three bowls and tint each with a drop of pink, yellow, and purple food coloring, mixing thoroughly to combine.
Assemble the cake: Place the first cake layer on a serving plate or cooling rack. Spoon several tablespoons of lavender syrup over the layer, allowing it to soak in for a minute or two. Spread one color of buttercream evenly over the top. Repeat the process for the second layer — soak with syrup, then spread the next colored buttercream. Place the third layer on top, soak with syrup again, and spread the remaining colored buttercream over the top. Use any leftover frosting to create a semi-naked effect on the sides of the cake, dotting and smoothing the frosting in all three colors evenly around the cake for a beautiful multi-colored effect.
Make the chocolate ganache: Place the chopped dark chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer (do not allow it to boil). Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2-3 minutes until the chocolate softens. Stir gently until the ganache is smooth and pourable. Allow it to cool slightly before pouring it over the assembled cake, letting it drip down the sides.
Final touches and serve: Optionally, decorate the cake with edible flowers for an elegant presentation. Serve immediately and enjoy the layered flavors of vanilla, lavender, and dark chocolate.

Notes

Be sure to let the lavender syrup cool completely before soaking the cake layers to prevent the cake from becoming too soggy.
Use room temperature ingredients for the buttercream to achieve the best fluffy texture.
The semi-naked frosting technique allows the colors to peek through and gives the cake a modern, artistic look.
If desired, replace the dried lavender with fresh culinary lavender buds for a more subtle flavor, but dry is more traditional for syrup infusion.
Allow the ganache to cool slightly before pouring to avoid melting the buttercream too much.
Store any leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: vanilla cake, lavender cake, layered cake, dark chocolate ganache, buttercream frosting, floral cake, dessert recipe, homemade cake