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Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream. Four layers of light and fluffy vanilla cake with homemade blackberry lavender jam, and white chocolate buttercream. This cake is nothing short of delicious. Every bite is layered with fresh berries, hints of lavender, and sweet vanilla cake. The perfect berry-filled cake for any and all occasions.
As if you could not tell from Tuesday’s blueberry galette, I am really excited about the arrival of berry season. I have decided that this is the summer I will embrace fruit-based desserts. You guys know I’m all about chocolate, but right now I’m loving fruit-based sweets. I’m having a lot of fun creating recipes using my favorite fruits.
Plus, after sharing mostly chocolate desserts over the last five and a half years. I think it’s time to branch out…at least a little. Don’t worry, I’ll be sharing chocolate next week!
Anyway, I’m very excited about this cake and so happy with how it turned out. I was nervous when I set out to make this cake, as layer cakes can be a little intimidating. Fortunately, not only did this cake turn out pretty, but it was also really good. Some layer cakes can be dry and flavorless, especially layer cakes of the non-chocolate variety. But trust me, this cake is soft and bursting with flavor.
A layered naked cake has been on my list of “must-make recipes” for a while now. I actually made a strawberry naked cake back in March (have you guys made it? It’s another favorite and a must-make if you happen to have extra strawberries lying around). But this blackberry lavender cake is totally different. It has the look of a more classic naked cake with its split layers and a light coating of frosting on the outside.
It’s over the top, and the perfect cake to make over the weekend for Father’s Day, or really any time this summer.
Some of the details.
The vanilla cake is pretty standard, but my secret is to use a mix of buttermilk and Greek yogurt to keep the cake extra moist. I swear, simply using these two ingredients in all of my cake recipes makes for a perfect cake that’s never dry.
While the cake itself is good, it’s not really the star flavor. Nope, what this cake is really all about is the blackberry lavender jam. If you’re new to baking with lavender, you have to give it a try. Pairing lavender with blackberries is a favorite combo of mine. The flora hints from the lavender compliment the sweetness of the blackberries and when mixed together in a jam?
It Is. So. Good!
I highly recommend doubling the batch of blackberry jam because smearing a generous amount on a piece of buttered toast, is the most delicious morning treat…
Just saying.
OKAY. So that’s the jam. Once you have that made, the cake comes together pretty easily. The trickiest part is slicing the cake layers in half, which I know might sound scary, but you guys can do it.
A few things.
One, don’t stress too much about creating a perfectly even cut. As you can see, my layers are nowhere near perfect, but all turned out OK.
Two, use a long serrated bread knife to cut the cake in half. This helps so much with making an even cut all the way through.
Three, make sure to cool the cake completely before slicing.
Bottom line, don’t stress about having to cut the cake layers in half. It’s not as scary as it may seem and once you layer everything together the cake is going to be beautiful no matter what. And, if you do have trouble and the cake crumbles a bit, don’t worry, those crumbs make for a delicious snack.
I will not lie, this cake is a bit more time-intensive than some of my other cakes, but I’ve decided sometimes recipes like this cake are fun…and needed. Sure, for the most part, we all want quick, simple, and easy recipes, but If you’re anything like me, you can also enjoy spending a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday in the kitchen baking away. The perfect cake to make on a rainy summer Sunday afternoon.
Sometimes I get stuck in this one-track mindset of creating recipes that are doable for any day of the week, but it’s also really fun for me to create recipes like this cake. And while you might not make this cake on a regular basis, it’s still a great cake to share with family and friends or put out on a special occasion. It’s nice to have a few slightly challenging recipes on the site. They keep my mind thinking creatively and get me excited to keep creating and developing new recipes for you guys!
Hoping you will all be inspired to jump up and spend a couple of hours in the kitchen baking this Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake. Not only is it fun and pretty, but it’s also addictingly good. I mean, again, four layers of vanilla cake, homemade blackberry lavender jam, and white chocolate buttercream?!?
Simply the best!
If you make this healthier Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream
Servings: 24 servings
Calories Per Serving: 359 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Blackberry Lavender Jam
- 6 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1-2 teaspoons dried lavender
White Chocolate Buttercream
- 3 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 ounces white chocolate, melted and cooled
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter/spray with cooking spray.2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or use a hand-held mixer) beat together the canola oil, yogurt, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined. 3. Pour the batter among the cake pans and bake 30-35 minutes, until the tops are just set and no longer wiggly in the center. Remove and let cool five minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Cover and let the cakes cool completely before assembling.4. To make the jam. Add the blackberries, honey, lemon juice, and lavender to a medium-sized pot set over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, once boiling use a potato masher or fork to break down and mash the berries. Continue to cook for 5-8 minutes or until the jam has reduced and thickened by 1/3. Remove from the heat and let cool. Should thicken as it cools. 5. To make the buttercream. Add the butter and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the butter and powdered sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy. Add the melted white chocolate and beat until combined.6. To assemble. Using a large serrated knife, carefully cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread 1/4 of the buttercream over the cake and layer with about 1/4 cup of jam. Repeat with the remaining 3 cake layers. Be careful not to overfill your layers or the cake will be hard to slice. Lightly frost the outside of the cake. Chill 30 minutes. Serve or store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
See you tomorrow for an exciting entertaining post!
Lastly, if you make this Blackberry Lavender Naked Cake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
This post was originally published on June 15, 2018
Hi!! If I exchange the buttermilk with heavy cream, how would it affect the recipe? Would I need to add anything else? Is this even a good idea?
Hey Angelina,
I think that would be just fine to do:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan…how do I convert this cake recipe into a 6″ cake recipe? Ideally 3 or 4 layers.
Looks amaazinnggg
Hey Tabitha! I am so sorry for the delay in my response, I missed your comment and only just found it now. Where you able to convert the recipe? How did it turn out? I hope you loved it!! Please let me know if I can help with anything. xxTieghan
Are you suppose to sieve the blackberries?
Hey Shelly,
Nope, you can follow the recipe as is:) I hope you love the cake, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made this amazing cake this week to bring into office. A colleague follows this page and thought of me to bake it as she herself doesn’t quite have the flour touch.
Dried lavendar was difficult to find so ended up with a citrus lavendar tea that I could muddle and use as a substitute. It worked well and was so well received. When I brought it out she screamed that “it looked just like the picture” and was enjoyed by all.
A great cake that will make a return for sure.
Hey Tyler,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
Made this for my daughter’s 16th birthday with a couple of easy modifications. Used fresh raspberries and raspberry jam instead of blackberries and lavender. The cake was a HUGE hit! It tasted fabulous and everyone loved it! Will definitely make it again!!
Hey Teresa,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you. Have a great Tuesday! xxTieghan
This was the best cake I ever baked from scratch. Super moist and the flavor with hint of lavender with blue berries was amazing. And the cake with instruction to frost with serrated knife made it look beautiful! EXCELLENT recipe! Thank you!
Hey!
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Have a great Tuesday! xxTieghan
This was the best cake I ever baked from scratch. Super moist and the flavor with hint of lavender with blue berries was amazing. And the cake with instruction to frost with serrated knife made it look beautiful! EXCELLENT recipe! Thank you!
Hey there,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Have a great Tuesday! xxTieghan
OMGolly, I made this cake with my neighbor’s boysenberries and it is hands down one of the best cakes ever! And so easy. Often cakes from scratch I find fussy and not worth the effort but yours was so simple and the results; high, moist , delicious! I’ve found my go to base for all future cakes. I love the buttercream too, not too powder sugary. I did use a touch of rose extract in the jam instead of lavender but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks for the heavenly dessert ?
Hey Diane,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xTieghan
Do you just add the dried lavender to the pot? Or do you have to steep it first?
Hey Mika,
You can follow the recipe as is and just add the dried lavender to the pot. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made this for our wedding cake last year, and it was delicious! I am planning to make it every year for our anniversary. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Shay,
Wonderful! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Hello! I’m hoping to make this cake next weekend for my mom’s birthday, but unfortunately I only have 9-inch pans. Assuming there wouldn’t be enough batter for 2 9-inch pans with the standard recipe, how would you recommend that I multiply the batter so that it would work?
Love your recipes, and I’m really hoping I’m able to make this one work, it looks so beautiful!
Hey there,
I would still follow the recipe as is, just don’t fill your pans quite as high. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know how it turns out! xTieghan
Just discovered HBH and going down a rabbit hole! Garlic Butter Creamed Corn Chicken last night, and hoping to do this cake justice for book club tomorrow. Quick question for a novice baker – I am making the cake today and putting cake together tomorrow. Should I cut the cake today? Refrigerate layers? Room temp? Cut tomorrow? Thank you!!
Hey Kristen,
I would just make the cake layers, keep covered in an airtight container, and then assemble tomorrow. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi, could I double the recipe to make more batter? I’m making this into a wedding cake! It is soo delicious.
Hey Ally,
You bet! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give the recipe a try. xTieghan
Can I use a cup for cup flour for this recipe? If so, any modifications needed?
Thanks!!!
Hey Eileen,
Yes, totally fine to do, you can follow the recipe as is. I hope the cake turns out amazing for you. Please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made this and the blackberry jam is very watery. I am not sure what I should do to try and thicken it up.
Hey Laura,
So sorry to hear this. Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? It may need to cook longer to allow it to thicken. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Hello,
How can I make buttermilk? I live in the UK and they don’t sell this ready made.
Thanks,
Eva
An easy substitute for buttermilk is “sour milk”. Mix one cup of regular milk and a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let sit for about 5 min
I use this all the time in cakes and biscuits 🙂
You can mix milk with lemon juice!
1 tablespoon vinegar to 1 cup of your milk of choice does the trick!
Hi! I live in the UK, buttermilk is usually found in the same aisle as double cream/single cream. Morrison’s sell it in a yellow tub. Alternatively you can add a dash of vinegar to milk and leave for around 10 mins! 🙂
Hey Eva,
You could just use whole milk here, that will work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Waitrose has buttermilk! The brand is St Ivel and it’s in the refrigerators with the cream 🙂
This is beyond beautiful. This really a work of art. I haven’t made it yet — though I plan to! The creativity and the photography just puts this over the top. Absolutely gorgeous. You are SO talented! And so gracious and generous with your gifts. 🙂
Hey Carren,
Awesome! So so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xxTieghan
Can I substitute coconut oil or canola oil?
Hey Nicole,
Sure, either of those would work just fine. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan