Lavender Blueberry Tea Cakes (Printable Version)
Fragrant mini cakes with lavender and blueberries, ideal for afternoon tea or light dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/4 tsp baking soda
04 - 1/4 tsp salt
05 - 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender, finely chopped
→ Wet Ingredients
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
10 - 1/2 cup whole milk
11 - 1/4 cup sour cream
→ Add-ins
12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
13 - 1 tbsp flour for tossing blueberries
→ Optional Glaze
14 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tsp lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped lavender until well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Combine milk and sour cream in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.
06 - Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture. Begin and end with flour. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to prevent sinking, then gently fold into the batter.
08 - Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full.
09 - Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10 - Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - For optional glaze, whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cakes.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The texture impossibly tender while still holding together perfectly, the kind of cake that makes people ask what you did differently
- That moment when someone takes their first bite and their eyes light up because the lavender actually works, it really works
- Theyre impressive enough for tea with friends but simple enough to throw together on a random Tuesday when you need something sweet
02 -
- Culinary lavender and lavender meant for potpourri are not the same thing, one will make your cake taste like soap and the other will make it taste like magic
- Overmixing the batter once the flour is added will make these tough, so stop as soon as the dry ingredients disappear
- The flour coating on blueberries is the secret that keeps them evenly distributed instead of all sinking to the bottom during baking
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend together more easily and create a more uniform crumb, so take everything out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before starting
- If you only have frozen blueberries, do not thaw them or they will turn the batter gray and make the cakes soggy