Lemon lavender bundt and elegance

I have a thing about bundts. I’m not even trying to be funny. I think bundts are gorgeous. I don’t even mind that they’re un-iced, which is unusual, because I am a big fan of buttercream! There is something about the shape of them that just screams elegance to me – the lines are so beautiful, so precise. To complement the beautiful form of bundts, I went with classic, elegant flavours, lemon and lavender.

The sharpness of the citrus works beautifully with the softness of the lavender. The Boy was not a big fan of the lavender, he much preferred the batter before the dried lav was added . If your intended audience is as critical as The Boy is, simply omit the lavender, this recipe works beautifully as a lemon bundt.

I’m posting this recipe right before I head down the coast for a few days of camping. The contrast between the sophistication of this dessert and what I foresee in the next few days is not lost on me. I am not a camping sort of person – leave me some words of encouragement in the comments!

Lemon and lavender bundt:

• 230g butter
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups plain flour
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup lemon juice (about two small lemons)
• 2 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tsp bicarb
• 1 ½ tsp dried lavender

Preheat your oven to 180°C and grease a 23cm bundt tin. Sprinkle a little flour over it after you’ve greased it to make it easier to remove once it’s baked.

Cream together your butter and sugar, then add the eggs. Scrape down the sides of your bowl well. Add in the flour and mix thoroughly. Add in the milk to thin out the mixture. Make sure your mixture is well combined, then add in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Add your bicarb into the mixture and mix thoroughly. Finally, fold the lavender into the mixture, trying to distribute it as evenly as possible.

Pour the mixture into your tin and pop into the oven for 40-50 minutes. When a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, it’s ready. Allow it to cool for at least ten minutes before trying to get it out of the tin.

Sprinkle with plenty of sifted icing sugar and serve warm.