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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
cake tasted delicious but my cake turned out quite dense- do you think I over mixed it or was there too much oil? I also was wondering if you mix your dry ingredients separately before you mix them with the wet? thanks!
Hi Aasiya,
So sorry you had issues with the recipe. It is a little hard to tell why it may have been dense if I don’t know whether or not you adjusted any ingredients. It is important to not over mix the batter:) I hope this helps! xTieghan
This was one of THE, and I’m it sugarcoating it, best cakes I have EVER tasted. Thank you for such a brilliant recipe. Easy to follow and so delicious
Thank you so much Entle!! xTieghan
Can I use 3 round 9 inch cake pans? Thank you!
Hi Grace,
Yes that will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My question is why do the layers have to be cut in half? Why can’t they be left whole or increase recipe & make three layers?
Hi Jan,
I cut them in half to create extra layers but you could certainly leave them whole. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This recipe is wonderful!
I made it for my daughter’s 20th birthday and it has now become her favorite cake.
Everyone we shared with loved the cake also.
5 stars all around!
That is so great to hear!! Thank you so much Beth! xTieghan
Made this for a friend’s birthday recently and it turned out great! I tend to make all my cakes as 3 layer cakes using 3 of the same 9″ cake pans. I din’t think the original recipe would be enough, So I increased the serving size of this recipe to 32, and it was the perfect amount! Also I didn’t have greek yogurt on hand so I used sour cream. Only negative is that It did dome slightly more in the middle more than I am used to. Not sure why this would be, and it’s not too big a deal, but I prefer not to have to cut the cakes to make them even.
Hi Abby! I am so glad this cake turned out so well for you and your friends! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
This white cake is crazy good. We are still assembling. The jam is not real thick so far. Might not matter as it soaks into the cake. Was fun to try with my daughter for her birthday.
Aw that is too sweet! Happy Birthday to her! I am so glad you enjoyed this one! xTieghan
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! I made it for my husband’s 50th birthday and it was a hit! Family and friends loved it. This isn’t definitely a keeper especially for the cake part – so moist and delicious.
I am not a big fan of the frosting so I didn’t do the white chocolate frosting. Instead I simply beat the heavy cream (I added 10% sugar) until it’s light and fluffy and layered it with the jam. Oh GOD, it’s heavenly delicious!
I will make it more times in the future.
I am so glad this cake turned out so well for you Yang! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
I already made this dessert, It was delicious, I’d like to know if instead of butter for the buttercream I can use cream cheese?
Hi! I would recommend using butter since I have never tested the recipe with only cream cheese. That said, if you love cream cheese, I am sure it would work. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am glad you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
This looks delish!
Thank you so much Traci! xTieghan
Absolutely amazing cake. Such a hit and had such a wow factor when serving to guests. The blackberry lavender jam is out of this world and blended so perfectly with the white chocolate icing. Really is a pretty simple cake to make, just a lot of parts, but if you have the afternoon to make it, it’s completely worth it. It looks gourmet when served and tastes straight out of a bakery.
Thank you so much for trying this Natalie! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I made this and it’s gorgeous, moist and tasted beautiful best cake I ever made. And will be making it again soon.
Thank you so much Claudia! I am so glad this turned out so well! xTieghan
My friend and I made this cake and we absolutely LOVED it!! She even made it while visiting her family and they loved it as well. Thanks for all the creative and fun recipes Tieghan. I’ve made quite a number of your cakes, main dishes, and desserts and they have been super delicious!
Hi Christine! I am so glad you both loved this cake! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Used this for my daughter’s wedding cake! It was amazing!!
That is so amazing!! Thank you so much Maile! xTieghan
Hi there,
I’d like to make this recipe into mini cakes, or naked petit fours. Any advice on how to do so?
Thank you!
HI Laura, I am sorry but I’ve never made mini cakes with this recipe. Are you referring to cupcakes? If so, this will make about 32 cupcakes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan