Mini Lemon Cakes with Lavender Glaze (Printable View)

Delicate lemon-infused mini cakes with fragrant lavender glaze—perfect for afternoon tea or elegant dessert.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Mini Lemon Cakes

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1/4 cup whole milk
06 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
07 - 1 tbsp lemon zest
08 - 1 tsp baking powder
09 - 1/4 tsp salt
10 - 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ For the Lavender Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 tbsp milk, plus more as needed
13 - 1/2 tsp dried culinary lavender
14 - 1 tsp lemon juice
15 - Extra lavender buds or lemon zest for garnish (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup mini muffin pan or mini cake molds thoroughly.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until combined.
05 - Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently. Pour in milk, then add remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined—avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared mini cake molds, filling each approximately 2/3 full.
07 - Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - In a small saucepan, gently warm the milk with dried lavender over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let steep for 5 minutes. Strain to remove lavender buds.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, lavender-infused milk, and lemon juice until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
10 - Spoon or drizzle glaze over completely cooled mini lemon cakes. Garnish with extra lavender buds or lemon zest if desired. Allow glaze to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly tender, almost like a madeleine but with more spring
  • Lavender and lemon were meant to be together, creating something sophisticated yet comforting
  • These bake up quickly and look stunning with minimal effort
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will make these tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The glaze needs to be warm when you pour it, but the cakes must be completely cool or it will slide right off
  • Culinary lavender is milder than craft store lavender, so do not substitute or the flavor will be soapy
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before juicing it so much easier to handle when it is whole
  • If the glaze is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until it flows like honey

Go Back