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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!
do we strain the jam to get the lavender out or do you eat the seeds and blackberry seeds too?
Hey Hannah,
I did not strain mine, but if you want to that works as well! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Hi, I am trying to recipe but want to make them into cupcakes. How would you incorporate the jam for the cupcakes
Hi there,
You could insert the jam the cupcakes are baked using a pastry bag, or you could just put it under the frosting. You could even drizzle on the top. I hope you love this recipe! xT
Can I use butter instead of canola oil. If so, do I use one cup of melted butter?
Hi Sam,
Yes, that should work nicely for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Last night I found a tube of lavender paste. Since I had never seen it before I scoffed it right up. I went searching for recipes and your beautiful cake was among the results. Any idea on how much to use in lieu of dried lavender? Thanks.
Hi Gayle,
So sorry, I am not sure on the exact amount as I have never tested it:) It’s definitely going to be more potent, I would start with 1 teaspoon and then give it a little taste and add more as needed. I hope this helps! xT
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday this weekend, and it was an absolute hit! One change I made was to strain the blackberry jam to remove the seeds. This caused the jam to end up with a thinner consistency. Because the pulp and seeds were removed, there was less bulk to the jam, but that did not take away from the incredible flavor that it added to the cake. I got so many compliments on the jam and the white chocolate buttercream. Will definitely make this cake again!
Hope he had an awesome birthday! Thanks for giving the recipe a try! xT
I’ve made this a couple of times and both times turned out to be super delicious!
Thank you for trying out this recipe! xT
I plan to make this for a friend’s birthday next week. Question re: the lavender in the jam: do the dried lavender flower buds “melt” into the jam during the reduction process, or do I need to strain them out at some point? (I’m trying to avoid biting into a hard piece of lavender bud.)
I’ve made this cake a couple times now and it’s been a hit every time! One of my absolute favorite recipes, totally worth the time it takes. I also love to just make the jam by itself sometimes to enjoy with some toast or cheese and crackers, such a delicious treat.
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! I’m SO glad you enjoyed it! xT
This has is both mine and my husband’s favorite cake. My husband is not a cake fan – not even cupcakes. But, he raves about this one.
It is so delicious!
So glad you’re loving this cake Clarissa! xT
I don’t use canola oil. Can you use butter instead or avocado oil or??
I feel like this icing recipe must be wrong! Equal parts sugar and butter??
What other berries would you suggest instead of blackberry? Can’t get them here where I live. Blueberries? Raspberries?
Hi there! Blueberries or raspberries would be super yummy! You could even do a mixture of both if you’d like! xT
Hi Tieghan
Can’t wait to make this!
I was wondering about the amount of icing sugar, 1 1/2c only. Just want to confirm that’s all I need for the icing. Never used such a small amount before.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Luisa,
Yes, that measurement is correct, if you feel like your icing is too thin you can slowly add more as needed. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
Today I baked the layers for the blackberry lavender naked cake, and I also baked the layers for the smashed raspberry white chocolate cake. The cake part of the recipes are practically the same. So I think that with the blackberry lavender it might be a typo where it says 2-8 inch cake rounds because I used three and all three of them baked up quite full. So I don’t know that it would’ve worked in 2 because it certainly would have spilled over. Or I suppose if you just wanted to do it in two then use 210 inch round cake pans. I haven’t assembled or tasted them yet but I’m looking forward to it. The cakes look beautiful in the pictures.
Hi Kirsten,
Thanks so much for making these recipes and sharing your feedback!! I hope the cakes end up being delicious, let me know the end results! xx
Very excited to make this! Does the recipe and bake temp/timing change if I were to make it in cupcake form?
Thank you!
Hi Stephanie,
I would start checking for doneness between 25-30 minutes! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
The recipe says two 8 inch pans, but I see a three layer cake. Is this a typo? To much flour for a two layer 8 inch cake.
Hi! I want to bake this cake for my friend’s 40th birthday party. She loooves lavender! I was wondering if I could make the cake, the jam and the buttercream in advance and assemble everything the following day. Thank you so much! 🙂
Hi Amelie,
Sure, you could do the cakes and the jam in advance, I would wait to make the buttercream the day of:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
How long can the leftover blackberry Lavendar jam last if refrigerated?