Thursday, June 7, 2018

Sugared Lilac Cake

Ever since I dreamt up the idea of Lilac Sugar a few years ago, I’ve been wanting to create more than just Lilac Sheet Cookies. Don’t get me wrong, everything is “right” about lilac and cookies, but the aromatics of the fresh spring bloom deserve so much more attention, as does their beauty. Thus, a Sugared Lilac Cake came to be today ~ a cake infused with those gorgeous purple fresh blossoms in every way.
Sugared Lilac Cake
Lilac Cake:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fresh lilac blossoms
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. sea salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and eggs for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Sprinkle in  the lilac blossoms and combine with the wet ingredients, mixing well, but carefully not bruising the flowers. Pour batter into two or three prepared pans and smooth top with a metal spatula. Bake cakes about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean. Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack, remove paper and let cool completely.
Lilac Frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs. fresh lilac blossoms
Beat together all ingredients until silky and smooth.
Sugared Lilacs:
1/4 cup fresh lilac blossoms
1 egg white
1 cup sugar
One by one, dip each little blossom into the egg white. Then dip into sugar.
Place each blossom on parchment paper to dry for several hours. Dust with an additional coat of sugar, if desired.
Assembly:
Place one layer of cake on a serving dish and slather with frosting. Stack the second layer, then frost, and then the same with the third. Use the remaining frosting to evenly frost all the sides.
Top with the Sugared Lilacs.

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