Chocolate and lavender…who ever it was that first combined these two flavors should certainly be significantly rewarded! The combination is absolutely magical and will certainly leave your heart and taste buds happy.
This week features another collaborative post with Eva where we make dark chocolate cake with lavender-infused ganache & buttercream. A wonderful thank you goes out to Eva for her contribution to this post (her photo’s noted below each accordingly)! This post is certainly a favorite thus far for recipes on my site. You can see our last collaboration here too if you’re eager to check out our last shoot where we made Rosemary donuts with a pomegranate glaze… amazing, right?
The layout and setting for this shoot was just simply stunning as you’ll soon see in the gallery of photos below. Which by the way, I hope you don’t mind the volume of photos set in between these words and the actual recipe- I could narrow the collection down no further! I hope you enjoy the visual intrigue that each capture brings.
I’m also so very thrilled to announce my upcoming
Food Styling & Photography Workshop
hosted by Eva and I right here in Portland!
Seriously I have been counting down the days until I could tell you about it- I’ve been itching to teach a workshop for some time now and am so thrilled to be co hosting and teaching with Eva. Space is extremely limited so make sure to check out this link for more information. These tickets will go quick so make sure to jump in and register as soon as you’re able. If you know of anyone in the NW who would be interested in coming into Portland for an incredible time together, make sure to share this post with them. I could go on and on about how amazing it will be, including the incredible venue we’ve booked, but it’s all here, so just head on over for more details. Sure hope you can join us! Send an email and say hello if you’ve booked, would love to touch base!
This week’s post is sponsored by Portland Apron Company. Erika’s aprons are handmade right here in Portland with organic and sustainable fabrics and are just incredible products. I’ve been a fan of Erika’s work since I first discovered her through Instagram last summer and she’s just amazing a person and the product she creates. She custom made the aprons show here in this post (more photos below) and I’m in love with my smock! I am modeling the Pinafore Apron and Eva is modeling the Garcon apron, both in oatmeal linen. Erika has been so kind to offer a discount to our readers for a limited time so now’s your chance to get one for yourself and also stock up on some 2015 gifts- just think how lovely her aprons would be for a Mother’s Day gift!
Receive 10% off your Portland Apron Company purchase until February 28th with the offer code FRESH
Photo by Eva Kosmas Flores
Photo by Eva Kosmas Flores
Photo by Eva Kosmas Flores
Photo by Eva Kosmas Flores
Photo by Eva Kosmas Flores
Final photos compliments of Eva Kosmas Flores. Make sure to check out her edition of the post here!
DARK CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH LAVENDER-INFUSED GANACHE & BUTTERCREAM
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup boiling water
1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
dark chocolate shavings or cacao nibs, optional garnish
LAVENDER CHOCOLATE GANACHE
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon dried lavender
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
Vanilla & Lavender Buttercream
1 cup butter, softened
3-4 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 drops culinary grade lavender essential oil
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. First, begin steeping the lavender for the ganache. In the top of a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove fBring the cream to a simmer over low heat. Remove from heat and use a tea strainer to steep the dried lavender in the hot cream for at least 1 hour.
While the cream is steeping, you can prepare the cake. Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the cocoa powder, vegetable oil, and baking soda at medium low speed. Add the boiling water and mix to combine. Add the sugars, milk, eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add the melted chocolate mixture, flour, baking powder, and salt and mix at low speed until a silky batter forms.
Evenly distribute the batter between 2 greased 8-inch cake pans lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing the cake from the pan and allowing the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack, parchment paper side down. The cake is very moist so if you do not leave the parchment paper on, the cake will stick to the wire rack.
While the cakes are cooling, you can finish preparing the ganache. Remove the lavender from the cream and discard it. Heat the cream and chocolate in the top of a double boiler over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
To prepare the buttercream, beat the butter and powdered sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment at medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the cream, vanilla extract, and lavender essential oil and continue beating until the frosting takes on an airy whipped texture, about 3-4 minutes.
To assemble the cake, cut each cake layer in half horizontally so that you have 4 small cake layers. Place the base layer on your serving dish and coat the top with the ganache. Repeat two more times so you have three cake layers with ganache on them. Place the top fourth layer on the cake and ice the top and sides with the buttercream. Garnish with chocolate shavings or cacao nibs and serve.
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