Scent of Norfolk.

I'm in love with this cake.

Lavender Pound Cake

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. baking soda

4 eggs

½ tsp. salt

1cup sour cream

2 cups sugar

¼ cup milk

1 tbsp. dried lavender flowers

Drizzle: (see Note)

¼ cup water

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter,

1 tbsp. dried lavender flowers softened

¾ cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 8½ x 4½ x 2⅝-inch loaf pans.

2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in medium-size bowl. Pulse ½ cup of the sugar

with the lavender in a food processor until the lavender is ground.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter, lavender-flavored sugar, remaining 1½ cups sugar

and vanilla until fluffy, 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after

each. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and milk. On low speed, alternately

beat in flour mixture with sour cream mixture in 3 additions, beginning and

ending with the flour. Divide between pans.

4. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool on rack 10

minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely.

5. Drizzle: Microwave water and lavender for 30 seconds on high power. Let steep

5 minutes. Strain out lavender flowers and discard.

6. Once cake is cool, whisk together 4 teaspoons of the lavender water with the

confectioner’s sugar. Drizzle over both loaves. Slice and serve.

Harvest lavender on a dry morning when a few flower buds are just beginning

to open. Wrap small bunches with a rubber band and hang out of direct sunlight.

Once dry, rub the flowers off the stalks and store in an airtight container. Make sure

that you’re not storing any flowers that are moldy or wet.