Heart Cake with Vanilla Filling

Ingredients

• 75 g sugar
• 1 tbsp dried lavender buds
• 0.5 tsp lemon zest
• 150 g butter
• 3 eggs
• 150 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 5 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 300 g flour
• 20 g cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 300 g mascarpone
• 1 tbsp vanilla syrup
• 150 ml heavy cream (at least 30% fat)
• powdered sugar (for dusting)
• flower petal (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Bring the sugar, lavender buds, lemon zest and 50 ml water to a boil in a saucepan for the syrup and dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).

2. 2.

   Beat the butter until fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, sugar, vanilla sugar, milk and lemon juice, mixing well. Combine the flour with baking powder and cocoa and fold into the butter mixture. Grease an 18x20 cm heart-shaped pan, dust with flour and spread the batter evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes. Test with a skewer.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile whisk the mascarpone with vanilla syrup. Whip the cream stiffly and fold it in. Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool briefly, then release it from the pan and allow to cool completely. Slice horizontally, spread the filling on the bottom layer, place the top layer back on, brush with syrup, dust with powdered sugar and garnish with flower petals before serving.