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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!
Just came across this recipe and loved it! The cake was so moist and tasty and the frosting consistency was perfect! I would cut back on the amount of blackberries because now I have a ton of extra blackberry jam but I’ll save it for some toast. Would highly recommend!
My first cake came out a little too coarse crumbed for me. Do you think I could substitute a little cake flour to make it finer?
Hey Ally,
Sorry to hear this, was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? I am sure cake flour would probably be just fine to use. Please let me know if this helps! xTieghan
Okay so I figured out what went wrong — I was using unbleached all purpose flour and that gave it a coarser texture. Who knew? I switched to bleached all purpose and it came out so lovely. The cake is amazing. I was never one for lavender anything, but it hits the most delicious background note to the blackberries! I love the cake so much — thank you for the recipe! You have great taste buds!
Hey Ally,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it another try! xTieghan
I’ve made this three times. My daughter just loves it!the frosting is the bomb! The jam, you are sooo right, tastes good on toast. All in all a really impressive cake!
Hey Linda,
I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Canola oil is very bad for you. Can I substitute it with a healthier oil like coconut or avocado?
Hey Sammi,
Sure, either of those will work. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi
My family is obsessed with this cake!! I wanted to make it for my grandmothers birthday but she doesn’t eat eggs. Is there something I can substitute the eggs for to make this an eggless cake ?
Hey Sandy,
So sorry, I have not tested this recipe without the egg, so I am unsure what the results would be. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try! xTieghan
Made this for the second time and it’s as fantastic as I remembered. It takes some time but it’s SO WORTH IT. Can any leftovers be sliced and frozen? Does it thaw well and taste good?
Hey Julie,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and appreciate you giving it a go! Sure, you could totally slice and freeze! Have a wonderful week:) xTieghan
I made this for a coworker’s birthday. I’ve never had so many compliments for a cake in my life! Not a crumb left over by the end of the day. I managed to get a bite in too and it was SUPER delicious, and still somehow felt like a nice light dessert! I did have to bake the cakes for about 40-45 minutes, but no biggie. Thanks Tieghan! I’ll be sure to make this again soon!
Hey Leana,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a go! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I made this last year for my BFFs birthday and it’s her new favorite. I would like to know, can this be made into cupcakes!? If so, how?
Hey Stephanie,
Wonderful! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving the recipe a try!! Sure, I would just reduce the baking time and start checking for doneness at 25 minutes. xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I’m not an experienced baker or cook but I managed to make this cake twice and the whole family loved it! It’s such a beautiful and delicious recipe. Xoxo
Hey Ileana,
Happy Sunday! I love to hear this recipe was enjoyed and I truly appreciate you giving it a try! xxTieghan
I had the same issues with the cake as other reviewers – I think there is too much liquid in the recipe or the temperature is too high (should be lower, longer bake). I baked mine til the center just set like the recipe said and as it cooled the centers of both cakes sunk in half way. I was able to cut the cakes and keep the bottom halves for layers and then had to scoop out the uncooked center from the top layer and try to stuff some extra cake in the center from leveling. The filling also didn’t taste a lot like lavender surprisingly and I added extra. The buttercream was also verrrry buttery (3 sticks!!!) and I added more powdered sugar and added vanilla extract to it because it just seemed a little plain. Overall I think the cake was just OK but not outstanding.
Hey Julie,
So sorry this recipe was not enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
I made this cake today, I’ve been looking at it for a long time and decided today was the day. Im no expert baker and I did experienced the same baking issue as others. It took much longer than 30 minutes in the oven and I finally just took it out even tho my toothpick trick said it wasn’t ready. It turned out fine, and from there it was a breeze. Cake was delicious, the blackberry lavender jam was more delicious and the buttercream was outstanding. We loved this cake, and it presents beautiful. Thank you!
Hey Corinne,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed. Have a great weekend☀️ xTieghan
Want to make this cake for my daughter’s baby shower and did a test run… I got many compliments on how pretty and delicious it was. I can’t wait to make it again… Thank you for sharing, Tieghan
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Hey there,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
I would say I am an experienced cake maker and I bake daily especially cakes for friends and families birthdays or celebrations. This cake had great flavor but I had the same problems as the other bakers making this cake. I did what Stacey did and encountered the same problems. I will try and make it one more time and this time try making it in 3 pans instead of two. My first thought was there was way to much batter in each pan to get it to cook evenly.
I will make once more and provide feedback. It is a shame, because all the flavors make a great cake it’s just the cake recipe has a major flaw.
Hey Elizabeth,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry it didn’t workout for you. Again, it’s really hard for me to say what could have happened with the cake without seeing it. I have only made this recipe in 2 cake pans and without any issues. xTieghan
I’m a fairly good cake maker, so I’m perplexed as to why this cake didn’t turn out for me. I followed the recipe exactly, but after 35 minutes of baking, even though the center looked set, a skewer stuck in it did not come out clean. I baked it for a full 10 more minutes with foil on top, and a skewer still didn’t come out clean, so I took it out of the oven, thinking maybe somehow it would get better as it cooled. Ten minutes later, the middle of both cakes had completely sunk down, and was a gooey mess! Any idea what I did wrong? Based on so many good reviews, I have to assume it was user error. I’m still going to try to salvage the cake, and just cut out the center and make a round layer cake (we’ll see how that goes, though).
Hey Stacey,
So sorry to hear this. Was there anything you adjusted in the recipe? It’s really hard for me to say without seeing the cake. Was it still not fully baked? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
This was one of the best cakes I have ever made. I’m hoping to bake it again this weekend. I shared it with several friends who thought it was amazing.
Hi there,
I just made this cake and I adjusted the recipe because I’m at high altitude Denver,CO). It turned out perfect! Just had to increase the liquid/flour by a couple tablespoons and decrease the leavening agents by 1tsp each.
I wonder if that would help with those of you who didn’t get an even bake?
Thanks so much for this recipe- it’s beautiful! 🙂
Hi Anna,
I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! No adjustments should be needed for altitude:) Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Fantastic cake! I followed the recipe to a T and it turned out amazing. I made the jam and the frosting the night before and then assembled it the day I wanted to enjoy it. Everyone raved about it. I made 1.5× the jam and canned 2 pint sized jars of the jam, stashed away for later!
Hey Andrea,
Wonderful! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan