Tender Lemon Lavender Crumb Cake with Vanilla Glaze
A tender crumb cake infused with fresh lemon zest and culinary lavender, topped with a buttery crumb and finished with a smooth vanilla glaze. Perfect for a sweet, floral treat that feels like a little celebration.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ¼ cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup (120ml) milk (whole or 2%, or almond milk as substitute)
- 1 tablespoon dry culinary lavender buds
- For the crumb topping:
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (70g) light brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- For the vanilla glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 tablespoons (30–45ml) milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or 8-inch square pan and line with parchment paper if desired.
- Prepare crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup flour, ⅓ cup light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional), and a pinch of salt. Cut in 5 tablespoons cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Chill in fridge.
- Mix dry ingredients for batter: whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar: beat ¾ cup softened butter with 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
- Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice to butter mixture, mixing until combined.
- Alternately add flour mixture and ½ cup milk to wet ingredients, starting and ending with flour. Mix gently after each addition. Fold in 1 tablespoon crushed culinary lavender buds.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Sprinkle chilled crumb topping evenly over batter without pressing down.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Check at 40 minutes to avoid overbaking.
- Cool cake in pan on wire rack for at least 30 minutes before glazing.
- Make vanilla glaze: whisk 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2–3 tablespoons milk until smooth and pourable.
- Drizzle glaze over cooled cake and let set for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Use food-grade culinary lavender only. If lavender flavor is too strong, reduce to 2 teaspoons. Do not glaze warm cake to avoid soggy topping. For gluten-free, use 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. For vegan, substitute butter with plant-based margarine, eggs with flax eggs, and milk with plant milk.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of c
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25
- Fat: 15
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Protein: 4
Keywords: lemon lavender crumb cake, lemon cake, lavender cake, crumb cake, vanilla glaze, spring dessert, easy cake recipe