Lemon Lavender Pound Cake
Lemon and lavender add delicous flavor to pound cake. 

CHRISTMAS CAKE

This Lemon Lavender Pound Cake, chosen as the winning cake recipe for the contest in Christmas Cake, was inspired by a lavender cake that was sent to me one holiday as a gift. The cake was so fresh tasting and such a welcome treat, that I went straight away to find a recipe using lavender in cake. Luckily, I found this one (which uses lemon too!) and decided to honor that gift as well as the inspiration by making it the winner in the Hope Springs Community Christmas Cake Recipe Contest.

Lemon Lavender Pound Cake

Prep time: 2 hours

3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3 cups sugar
5 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
1 teaspoon lemon extract

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF. Lightly butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together.
2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and vegetable shortening thoroughly. Add sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg.
3. Add sifted flour mixture and milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Add lavender flowers and lemon extract.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until done.
5. When the cake is cool, carefully loosen its edges by running a spatula or thin knife around edges of pan and tube, and gently shake cake on to a plate. Turn the cake right side up onto a serving plate.

Yield: 8-10 servings