Forget the boring “welcome to the neighborhood” pound cake of yesteryear! This dessert gets an aromatic lift from lavender syrup and fresh blueberries. The syrup can be made with either dried or fresh lavender flowers: dried will tint the syrup a pale purple, and fresh will infuse it with a more powerful floral taste.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 to 8 servings

　　

FOR CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

　　1 1/2 cups sugar

　　3 large eggs, at room temperature

　　1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

　　

FOR BLUEBERRIES

3/4 cup water

　　1/2 cup sugar

　　4 teaspoons dried edible lavender flowers, or 2 tablespoons fresh

　　2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

　　10 ounces fresh blueberries (1 pint)

　　Special equipment: a 9 by 5 by 3-inch metal loaf pan

　　

MAKE CAKE

Step 1

Put the oven rack in middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, knocking out excess flour.

　　

Step 2

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 5 minutes with a handheld. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the zest and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and milk alternately in batches, beginning and ending with the flour and mixing until just incorporated.

　　

Step 3

Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center comes out with crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack 30 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely.

　　

MAKE BLUEBERRIES

Step 4

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the lavender, then steep 30 minutes for dried lavender or 40 minutes for fresh.

　　

Step 5

Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding the lavender. Stir in the lemon juice and blueberries.

　　

Step 6

Spoon the berries and syrup over slices of cake just before serving.

　　

DO AHEAD

Step 7

The LAVENDER SYRUP (without berries) can be made 2 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature. The CAKE can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Add berries to syrup just before serving.

　　The Epicurious Cookbook