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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
















Brought this to a party yesterday and it evaporated! To MANY compliments. Everyone was wowwed.
Simply. The Best. Cake. Ever. The fact that it is so beautiful is only the smallest beginning.
You totally rock!
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Toni!
Tieghan, can you please tell me the name of the flower you are using as part of your cake decoration?
HI! The flower on top of the cake is a peony. They are my favorite!
Hi Tieghan!. I am making this cake for a friend’s birthday this coming weekend. Its just beautiful! Thank you!. I would like to know if I can use regular blackberry jam and add lavender oil (food grade) to it instead of buying blackberries? Blackberries are super expensive where I live :(. What do you recommend?. Also, can I ask you how many days in advance can I make this cake’s vanilla bread just to assemble?. And how should I store it to keep it moist and good until I assemble/fill/decorate?. Thank you Tieghan.
HI! I think regular blackberry jam with lavender oil will work just fine. You can make the cake up to 1 day ahead of time. I like to cover the cake with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to serve. Bring the cake to room temp for 30 minutes before serving. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Do you think that dark chocolate would work just as well as white chocolate? My husband is not a white chocolate fan. Just picked 9 lbs of black raspberries from my yard! Love everything else about this recipe!
HI! You could use dark chocolate but the color of the frosting will be brown and not white. I recommend just leaving the chocolate out all together. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
I’m making this for our Canada Day celebration substituteing with fabulous Ontario strawberries. ?? ??☀️. I’ll post a picture.
Instagram kimmy_bt.
I hope you love this Kim! Thank you!
Stunning! This cake is the epitome of creativity and culinary wizardry. Well done!
Thank you!! I am so glad you like this Kathy!
This cake was so delicious and a fan-favorite at an office birthday party where the birthday girl had wanted a “creative” flavor cake! I found the recipe made a little too little buttercream and a bit too much jam, but the leftover jam is SO GOOD on buttermilk pancakes! I might have to make the jam alone again!
That is so amazing! Thank you Emily!
Does this jam solidify without pectin? The one time I tried to make jam without pectin it turned into a syrup. I want to try to make these in cupcake form but would need a more solid jam to fill them with.
HI! Yes, it does get pretty thick, but feel free to adjust the recipe to use pectin if you are comfortable with doing so. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
making this for 4th of July!! cant wait!!
I hope it turns out amazing for you! Thanks Katie!
This cake is absolutely stunning!!
Thank you Lauren!
I made this for my son’s birthday. It was so delicious! And it traveled well. Thanks for the creative recipe Tieghan!
Thank you Monica!
This cake looks amazing! One question: did you strain the jam at all or were the seeds and lavender or to eat in the cake?
HI! I do not strain the jam. I love leaving the seeds in, but of course you can strain the jam if you prefer. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Made this but adjusted the icing to not be so rich. Very Yummy! I made the icing with one stick of butter, white chocolate, confectioners sugar, and Greek yogurt. The tangyness of the yogur with the blackberry jam is great.
I am so glad you liked this Patti! Thank you!
OMG! beautiful and delicious,,, tanks!
Thank you Marcely! I am so glad you liked this!
I am making this as soon as our blackberries are ripe in the garden! Love it.
Thank you so much Amber!