Lime and Lavender Cake with Peaches

Lime and lavender is one of my favorite flavor combinations: their fresh and floral fragrance enhances one another beautifully. So, when I decided to bake a light summer cake, I wanted to use this favorite combination again, and came up with the quick and easy to assemble cake you see here.

To add another layer of texture and flavor, I topped the cake with sliced peaches, which complemented both lime and lavender. Once the cake was baked and cooled, I brushed it with a small amount of lime syrup. The syrup gave the cake a light shiny coating and deepened the lime fragrance.
The cake turned out light and tasty, perfect as a dessert for summer lunch, or any other time of the day. Try it and enjoy.

Notes:
* Nectarines can be used instead of the peaches.
* For best results, make sure to use culinary grade lavender, found at the spice section.
* Click HERE for another tasty cake recipe, that uses lime and lavender.

Makes: 12-16
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients:
For the cake:
3 medium peaches, ripe but firm
3 limes
1 stick (115 grams) butter, soft
1 cup sugar
2 L eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp lavender
½ tsp vanilla paste
1½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
For the lime syrup:
1 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs water
2 Tbs sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Butter and lightly flour a 10” (26cm) baking pan. Keep it in the fridge until using.
2. Halve and pit the peaches, then slice into fairly thick wedges. Zest two limes and juice all three. Measure 1 Tbs zest and 1/3 cup juice.
3. Place the butter, sugar and zest in a large bowl, and whisk well together. Add the eggs, and whisk again. Add the sour cream, lavender and vanilla and whisk again. Add the flour, baking powder and salt, and mix to a smooth, fairly thick batter. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Arrange the peach slices in a circle on top.

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool to room temperature in the pan, over a rack.
5. Mix the lime juice, water and sugar in a small pot. Place over high heat and cook for about a minute, until large bubbles form and the syrup thickens. Mix well and brush the cake and peaches with it.