Lavender Blueberry Tea Cakes
Tender, buttery little cakes with pockets of jammy blueberry and a hint of lavender – ready in under an hour and nobody believes how easy they are.
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 extra yolk
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender, lightly ground
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, tossed in 1 tbsp flour
For the topping
- Extra granulated sugar for sprinkling
Optional lemon glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Set the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or butter the cups well.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy — about 3 minutes. You want it pale and airy. This is where the texture starts, so don't rush it.
- Add the eggs and yolk: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the extra yolk. Scrape down the bowl after each addition. The batter should look smooth and glossy.
- Whisk the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and lavender together. This distributes the lavender evenly.
- Alternate the dry and wet: Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stir a few times, then add the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour. Mix until just combined — a few streaks of flour are okay. Overmixing here is the number one way to get tough tea cakes.
- Fold in the blueberries: Gently fold in the floured blueberries with a spatula. A few quick folds — no more.
- Fill and sprinkle: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups — a cookie scoop makes this neat. Sprinkle a generous pinch of granulated sugar on top of each one. This creates that crackly, slightly crunchy top.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
These tea cakes store well at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 5. Freeze unglazed for up to 3 months. For a lemon glaze, whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 2 tbsp lemon juice and drizzle over cooled cakes. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and oat milk with lemon juice. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Lightly grinding the lavender buds in a mortar and pestle prevents soapy bites.