Vegan Lavender Cake
Floral, fragrant, and genuinely stunning on a dessert table, this layered cake proves that plant-based baking can be every bit as elegant as the classic version. The trick is steeping dried culinary lavender buds directly in warm plant-based milk, which pulls out that delicate floral flavor before the milk gets combined into the batter — no artificial flavoring needed. Apple cider vinegar curdles the infused milk into a quick vegan buttermilk, giving the crumb a tender, moist lift that you'd never guess came without eggs or dairy. Vegan butter and neutral oil work together in the batter for richness and softness that holds up beautifully through slicing, making every layer clean and pretty. The frosting follows the same logic — whipped vegan butter, a touch of finely ground lavender, and optional purple food coloring for that dreamy lavender hue. With 12 generous servings, this is the kind of showstopper you bring to a birthday, brunch, or spring celebration and watch disappear before you've even set down the cake knife.
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Learn more →Ingredients
12 servings
For the cake
- 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender buds
- 1 ½ cups plant-based milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups organic cane sugar
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ⅓ cup neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the frosting
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbsp plant-based milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp dried culinary lavender buds, finely ground
- 1 pinch salt
- 1–2 drops purple or violet food coloring (optional)
For serving
- 1 tsp dried culinary lavender buds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- 2
Combine the 1 1/2 cups plant-based milk and the 1 tbsp dried culinary lavender buds in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm until the milk just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the edges, about 4–5 minutes — do not boil. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes, then strain out the lavender buds and discard them. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and set aside for 5 minutes until slightly curdled.
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