Lavender Chocolate Cake
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/3bb88e82-4889-4d39-b1c1-4c2b42efff3b
Original source: https://humbly-homemade.com/lavender-chocolate-cake/
Recipe image: https://humbly-homemade.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/lavender-cake-0909-scaled.jpg

This rich and fluffy chocolate lavender cake is made with four decadent chocolate cake layers + floral lavender-infused buttercream frosting. Set aside some of the buttercream to dye green and purple for piped lavender sprigs as decoration.
Yield: 12
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT40M
Total time: PT250M

Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (or white vinegar)
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup strong, freshly brewed black coffee
- 1½ cups unsalted butter (3 sticks)
- 6 Tablespoons fresh lavender buds (or 2 Tablespoons dried lavender buds)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions
1. [Make the Chocolate Cake] Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake tins.
2. [Make the Chocolate Cake] Pour the milk and lemon juice or white vinegar in a small bowl. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes at room temperature to curdle & become homemade buttermilk.
3. [Make the Chocolate Cake] In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.
4. [Make the Chocolate Cake] In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the two eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil and your homemade or store-bought buttermilk.
5. [Make the Chocolate Cake] Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix it with a whisk or spatula until there is no dry mixture visible.
6. [Make the Chocolate Cake] Add the hot strong coffee and whisk again until the batter is smooth.
7. [Make the Chocolate Cake] Divide the batter equally between the two cake tins. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of each cake. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove them from the pans and allow to cool to room temperature on a cooling rack.
8. [Make the Lavender-Infused Buttercream Frosting] In a saucepan, melt the three sticks of butter on medium-low heat. Add the lavender buds and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Pour the butter through a fine mesh sieve to strain out the lavender. Set the butter in a bowl in the fridge to cool and solidify for a couple hours.
9. [Make the Lavender-Infused Buttercream Frosting] Once you're ready to make your frosting, let your butter sit on the counter to come to room temperature and soften a bit (if needed). Then beat the infused butter in a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, until it becomes smooth and fluffy, after about 5 minutes.
10. [Make the Lavender-Infused Buttercream Frosting] Add the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract and milk to the butter and continue to beat until it is all combined and fluffy, after 3 to 5 minutes.
11. [Assemble the Layer Cake] Once the cakes are completely cool, level the tops. Then slice them both in half lengthwise to form four equal-sized cake layers. (The edges don't need to be trimmed off the sides of this cake, since it is so moist & the edges don't get very caramelized.)
12. [Assemble the Layer Cake] Place the first cake layer in the center of a plate or cake stand. Spread out a few large dollops of the buttercream on top of the first layer.Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream, making sure this cake layer is centered on top of the first layer. Spread out a few more large dollops of the buttercream on top of the second layer. Repeat for the third and fourth layers of the cake.
13. [Assemble the Layer Cake] Spread the remaining buttercream on the sides of the cake and smooth it out.Optional: Set aside little buttercream and dye it purple and green. Using piping bags to pipe lavender flower springs onto the decorated cake.