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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!
I haven’t tasted the cake yet. I made it for my husband’s birthday. I absolutely didn’t get the jam right. I have a pot full of watery blackberries. I cooked them for even longer than you suggested but it just didn’t work out. It never thickened. Should I have added cornstarch or something? I’m sure when I cut the cake tomorrow it will be a soggy mess. So sad! But hopefully the taste will still be good. Meanwhile I have at least 5 cups of blackberry liquid to do something with. Suggestions?
Hi Brenda,
So sorry to hear you are having some issues with the jam! Did you add the honey? It sounds like the jam needs to boil for a while longer, the longer it boils it will eventually thicken:) I hope this helps! xx
Hi! I only have one 8-inch cake pan, so I would like to bake it all in one pan and cut it into two layers. Is that possible, and what changes would you recommend?
Hi Jin,
You will need to just bake the cakes separately:) So use the cake pan twice. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
thank you for sharing this recipe! my cake turned out beautiful! I substituted granulated sugar with baking sugar and for the jam, used 1/4 cup of honey instead of 1/2 It was a hit 🙂
Hey Moni,
Fantastic!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and I appreciate you making it! Have a great weekend! xx
How many cupcakes do you think this batter can make? Thanks!
Hi Narnia,
Sorry, I have never tested this recipe as cupcakes, but I would think at least 24 cupcakes. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi! I want to incorporate lavender into the cake layers as well and was wondering what you would suggest for that? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Nicki,
You could use a lavender extract to add to the batter. Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Hi! Making for a friend’s BDAY! Is there a GF flour you’ve tried and liked?
Hi Whitney,
I personally haven’t tried this, but I would use Bob’s Red Mill GF flour. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
My daughter made this cake and it is the best cake I’ve ever had. Amazing!
I’d love advice on the proportions to size it down to 6″ rounds, because it was HUGE.
Hey Meredith,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! I would just cut the recipient half, that should work well for you:) xT
Can I modify the recipe with two 9 inch round pans?
Hi Zehra,
Totally, that should work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
I make this cake every Easter and it’s our families favorite! We skip the jam because we’re not all blackberry fans, but the cake is so delicious and the frosting is *chefs kiss*
Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Lesley,
Happy Easter!! 🐰🐣🌈 Thank you very much for making this recipe each year and sharing your comment, I’m so glad it always turns out well for you! xT
I live in a rural area but am hoping to make this cake for my mother’s birthday Tuesday. I cannot find dried lavender anywhere, but happen to have real lavender syrup.
Any possibility I could sub that in the jam?
Hey Kate,
Sure, I bet that would work well for you! Let me know how this cake turns out, I hope you love it! Happy Birthday to your mother! xx
Followed the cake recipe to a T and it never set – the cakes were in the oven for over an hour and still just extremely oily, dark on top but mush in the middle. The buttercream and jam are great, I had to go buy a white cake mix from the store to get this done in time.
Hi Jay,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Sorry to hear the cakes never fully baked for you. What kind of cake pans did you use? I really am not sure why they wouldn’t turn out! xx
Delicious! I used another white cake recipe because I’m afraid to try new things but the frosting and blackberry/lavender jam are to die for! I told my family I was making this cake for my birthday last year and their response was, “hmm sounds interesting”. After we ate it, one sister said this was probably the best cake she’s had and is now requesting it for her birthday next week! Don’t let this recipe daunt you. Make the jam ahead of time so it’s one less step! Can’t wait to eat this again!
Hey Rachel,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you:)
Hi! My blackberries turned red, any idea why??
Hey Erica,
Hmmm, weird!! Did you use frozen berries? Thanks for giving the recipe a try! xx
Hi! Yes, I tried frozen and fresh and the same results. 🙁
Interesting! Sorry, I’m not sure what is causing that!
Can you use raspberry’s instead of black berrys?
Hey Elizabeth,
Sure, raspberries will also work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s a hit! xx
Hi! I’d like to make this in sheet pans. What changes to the recipe would you recommend?
Hey Sam,
I would use this recipe:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/blackberry-lavender-sheet-cake/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan