Whenever I see lemon lavender lemonade, cookies, or ice cream I cannot pass by, I have to buy some. The sweet citrus of the lemons paired with the earthy, floral undertones of mint in lavender is one of the most perfectly paired culinary flavour duos in my opinion. It also makes this naturally gluten-free cake a light and refreshing dessert at the end of your summer meal or a delightful accompaniment to an afternoon ice tea with friends. The pound cake can also be made ahead of time and it freezes well. This means that if you have unexpected guests or are invited to a potluck you can take one out to thaw and decorate as desired. You can also make this cake Keto or sugar-free friendly but using an alternative sweetener and it can be dairy-free with coconut yogurt. These simple variations allows the cake to adapt to a variety of dietary needs.
Most of us think of Lavender essential oils or scents which provoke feelings of restfulness but the culinary herb lavender has some health benefits as well.
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Lavender can increase your iron intake: One serving has 2 mg of iron, a considerable portion of the 8 to 11 mg you should consume each day. Iron helps make hemoglobin and myoglobin in your blood. Without adequate quantities of iron in your diet, you may develop anemia, a condition that makes you tired and listless.
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Lavender can support bone health: Lavender contains about 215 mg of calcium per 100 g portion. As a rule, your diet requires 1,000 mg of this mineral each day, although as you get older you need 1,200 mg or more. The calcium in lavender boosts the strength of your bones and it may also ease symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome.
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Lavender contains over 100 known compounds, including phytochemicals and antioxidants. The most well-known of these is called limonene, which aids digestive enzymes in the liver and may help to detoxify the body of free radicals.
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Lavender for stress and insomnia: Lavender is well known for its calming effects. Whether used in a recipe, applied topically as an essential oil, or in personal-care products such as bath salts lavender can help to ease stress, anxiety, and insomnia.
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Lavender for Eye health: A serving of lavender provides you with 287 IU of vitamin A, which is only a small portion of the 5,000 IU you need each day. The vitamin A is excellent for your eye health. This vitamin helps prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration as well as night blindness, dry eyes and eye infections. It also keeps your skin and mucus membranes healthy.
Those are just a few reasons to include lavender in your cooking or baking. You can grow culinary lavender easily in your garden or a small pot in your kitchen window. You can often also find it at organic grocery stores or spice markets. Enjoy and leave me a comment how you liked this recipe.
Lemon Lavender Pound Cake
Ingredients
Pound Cake
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup grass-fed butter, softened
- 1 cup raw cane sugar or granulated stevia or monk fruit for sugar-free version
- 3/4 cup full fat greek yogurt or coconut yogurt for a dairy-free version
- 3 medium eggs
- 1 medium lemon juice and zest
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 1 tsp dried culinary lavender buds
Glaze
- 1/2 cup organic icing sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest optional decorative topping
- 1/4 tsp dried culinary lavender buds optional decorative topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9x5" pan with parchment paper or grease with a little coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In separate bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer. Slowly add the sugar and cream until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each until fully incorporated. Finally, gently fold in the yogurt.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture until well combined. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest and beat on low just until blended. Gently stir in the culinary lavender buds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
- While loaf is still a little warm, prepare the glaze, adding enough lemon juice to make a pourable glaze. Place a baking tray under the cooling rack to catch any drips and spoon glaze slowly over top of loaf, allowing it to drip down the sides a bit. Sprinkle with optional zest and buds. Cool completely, then slice and enjoy.