Lavender-Lemon Pound Cake

This is a decadent and gorgeous cake that would be perfect for Mother's Day or a spring or summer soiree! The sweet-tart lemony lavender glaze lends a beautiful blush of pale lavender color to the finished cake. If you like, serve slices of this pound cake with a scoop of Sorbet a La Verveine - Homemade Lemon Verbena Sorbet on the side, finished with a sliver of candied ginger--heavenly! Slightly adapted from the beautiful cake found on http://cakewalker.blogspot.com; the original is Claudia Fleming's cake from her book 'The Last Course'.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 10-12
• Yields: 1 bundt cake

Ingredients

• Cake

• 2  cups unsalted butter (4 sticks)
• 2  tablespoons  dried lavender
• 10  eggs
• 2  cups sugar
• 3 1⁄4 cups cake flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons  grated fresh lemon zest (from about 4 lemons)
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract (or one large vanilla bean, scraped)
• 1⁄2 cup  fresh squeezed lemon juice

• Syrup-Glaze

• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup  fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 4  tablespoons  dried lavender, divided
• 1⁄2-1  cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9 to 10-inch bundt pan.
2. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons of dried lavender in a small saucepan. Off the heat and let mixture steep for 10 minutes; strain and set aside to cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl (use a stand mixer or a hand held one) beat together the eggs and 2 cups of sugar until thick and pale, about 5 minutes.
4. Sift together the flour and salt in a bowl.
5. Fold the lemon zest and one-third of the flour mixture into the eggs until thoroughly combined. Gradually fold in the remaining flour, in two batches, scraping the bowl as needed.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 cup of the batter with the melted butter and vanilla. Add this to the remaining batter and fold to combine.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and fill to about 2/3rds full. (Use any remaining batter to make about 4 cupcakes). Bake cake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
8. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool completely.
9. Meanwhile, make the lavender-lemon syrup.:
10. Combine sugar, water, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of dried lavender in a saucepan.
11. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let steep for 3-4 minutes. The syrup will take on the slightest blush color of pale lavender.
12. Position the cake on a wire rack over a rimmed sheet pan. With a fork or skewer, poke the cake all over. Brush the top and sides of the cake with almost half the syrup and let cool completely.
13. For the glaze:
14. In a measuring cup with a pour spout add 2 strained tablespoons of the remaining syrup. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar to the desired consistency, and continue to whisk until blended and smooth. Add a few drops of syrup at a time to adjust consistency, as needed.
15. Drizzle the glaze onto the cake, and garnish with a sprinkle of dried lavender flowers or crystallized sugar for extra pizazz! If you like, serve cake slices with a scoop of Lemon Verbena Sorbet on the side, studded with a sliver of candied ginger.