Lavender Pound Cake with Feta Caramel
This dessert highlights the floral and tangy combination made from pairing lavender with sweet and salty feta caramel. Be sure to use goat’s milk feta as it creates the smoothest and creamiest result. The caramel can also be used to top ice cream or for dipping berries. Food- grade dried lavender can be found at specialty shops and natural food stores.
Ingredients
FETA CARAMEL (Makes a little over 1 cup)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons goat’s milk feta cheese room
- temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
POUND CAKE
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for greasing
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon dried lavender
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 9 large eggs
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
FETA CARAMEL
- Add sugar to a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Slowly add 1⁄3 cup water and let mixture stand for a few seconds for sugar to absorb water.
- Heat saucepan over medium heat and cook without stirring until sugar turns a light amber color, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat and carefully add heavy cream. The mixture will sputter for a second and then seize; this is normal.
- Heat saucepan over low heat. Add feta and stir until smooth. Let caramel cool to room temperature, transfer to a jar, and refrigerate.
POUND CAKE
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Generously butter a large bundt pan and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter, kosher salt, lavender, and sugar together for 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined and scraping sides of bowl as needed.
- Turn mixer to low and slowly add flour, scraping sides of bowl to ensure everything is combined evenly.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool in pan for about 20 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
TO SERVE
- Slice cake and place on a serving plate. Drizzle feta caramel over top.
Chef Josh Berry and Maggie Knowles
Chef Josh Berry and Maggie Knowles are both native Mainers who agree that cheese makes even the worst days better. They fell in love at a beekeeping conference and joined culinary and creative forces through recipes, photography, and writing. They also work as restaurant consultants through the B Frame. Josh’s career has taken him throughout cheese capitals such as Switzerland, Italy, and Vermont; his favorite cheese is Cabot Clothbound. Maggie has written about food, theater, and parenting; her current favorite cheese is Big Sky Grana. When not eating, they are tending to their chickens, bees, small dogs, and big teenagers.
