Lavender Anise-Hyssop Olive Oil Cake (Gluten and Dairy Free)
Lavender Anise-Hyssop Olive Oil Cake
A few days ago, my friend Lara gifted me with a bouquet of herbs and edible flowers from her garden. I decided to use some of them in a cake for a friend who does not eat wheat or dairy, and came up with this lavender anise-hyssop olive oil cake.
I’ve been baking up a few more gluten-free goodies in recent weeks, and I think I have the formula down. My husband, who is not terribly fond of gluten-free baked goods (or lavender, for that matter), inhaled these little cakes, and proclaimed their soft texture pretty darn perfect.
the secret ingredient? ice wine.
With the gluten-free flour problem solved, the issue of making a cake non-dairy seemed a little more pressing. In the past, I’ve used soy milk with a little bit of vinegar to produce a non-dairy “buttermilk” in recipes for friends allergic to dairy, but I confess I find the taste of soy milk (however subtle) in baked goods a little off-putting. My initial thought this morning was to simply use water, but then I spied an unopened bottle of ice wine on the kitchen counter. Could ice wine work?
An hour later, I knew: The soft, honeyed taste of the ice wine complimented the more assertive, fruity taste of olive oil in this cake beautifully. The lavender and anise hyssop buds kept the cake light and spring-like–perfect for the incredible spell of sunshine we’ve been getting in Seattle.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.
Lavender Anise-Hyssop Olive Oil Cake
1 cup brown rice flour 1 cup potato flour 1/2 cup tapioca flour 1/2 cup white rice flour 2 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 ¾ cups sugar 1 cup olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil) 1/2 tbsp fresh or dried lavender buds 1/2 tbsp fresh anise hyssop buds 5 large eggs 1 cup ice wine Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.In a bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, and salt.
In a stand-mixer, combine the sugar, olive oil, lavender buds, and anise hyssop buds. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until combined. Add the eggs one by one, beating just until incorporated before adding the next. When all the eggs are incorporated, continue beating for 2-3 minutes until the mixture increases in volume slightly.
Add the ice wine to the mixture, and the flour mixture. Beat until incorporated, and there are no white streaks in the batter. (Batter will be looser than that of a traditional cake make with all-purpose flour, and you don’t have to worry about over-mixing, since there is no gluten in the recipe to develop.)
Spoon the batter into the loaf pan until the mixture reaches almost to the top of the loaf pan. (I fill it about 7/8ths full.) If you have any leftover batter, spoon it into a muffin or other individual cake pan to bake.
Bake the loaf cake for approximately 65-70 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. (My little cakes pictured above were done in only 16-18 minutes.)
Posted: July 25th, 2010 under Uncategorized.
Comments
Comment from elizabeyta
Time July 27, 2010 at 8:21 AM
I cannot agree with you more about soy milk! I do find I do not mind hemp milk. I am going to have to try these. Thanks!
Comment from caroline
Time July 27, 2010 at 1:25 PM
These look so lovely. Where can I buy anise hyssop and ice wine? Would any local grocery store have them?
Comment from Jackie Baisa
Time July 27, 2010 at 8:53 PM
Those look so moist! Wow. And I love the idea of those flavors together. I’d love to try one. 
Not a fan of soy milk in anything baked. I used to like it in smoothies, but soy gives me migraines, so I now use almond milk, which I don’t like in baked goods, either (but straight is fabulous!).
Comment from Kitchen Butterfly
Time August 27, 2010 at 11:46 PM
Absolutely gorgeous cakes!!! Have some anise buds so will try them in cakes too!
Comment from Sustainable Eats
Time July 26, 2010 at 9:04 PM
I love the idea of combining lavender with anise hyssop! I’ve been watching my plants get bigger and thinking about what to make with them – this is a lovely way to go!