Description
Whipping up this honey lavender cake brings pure comfort straight from my kitchen to yours. Delicate floral notes and sweet honey create a simple yet elegant dessert that feels like a warm hug on a quiet afternoon.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) graham cracker crumbs
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup (170 grams) honey
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) plain Greek yogurt
Finishing Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons (75 milliliters) unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) honey
- 1 ½ teaspoons culinary-grade dried lavender
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 lemon zest
- Additional honey for drizzling
- Edible dried lavender
- Edible flowers
- Fresh berries
Instructions
- Gently warm 1 tablespoon (15 ml) honey with 1 ½ teaspoons culinary-grade dried lavender in a small saucepan over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain and allow the lavender-infused honey to cool completely.
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Combine 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs, 5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, and 1 tablespoon of the infused honey in a mixing bowl.
- Press the graham cracker mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, creating an even base layer. Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes until lightly golden.
- Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool completely. Keep the oven temperature steady at 325°F (160°C).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 16 ounces room-temperature cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy.
- Add ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, ½ cup of the remaining lavender-infused honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and lemon zest (if using) to the cream cheese.
- Incorporate 2 eggs into the mixture one at a time, mixing gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cheesecake texture light.
- Pour the filling over the prepared crust, tapping the pan gently to release any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake for 45-55 minutes. The center should have a slight jiggle when gently shaken.
- Turn off the oven and crack the door open, allowing the cheesecake to cool slowly for 1 hour to prevent cracking.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight to set completely.
- Before serving, drizzle additional honey on top and garnish with edible dried lavender or fresh berries.
Notes
- Fresh lavender can overpower the cake, so use dried lavender sparingly for a subtle, balanced flavor.
- Straining the honey thoroughly prevents lavender bits from making the texture grainy or chunky.
- Room temperature ingredients help create a smoother, more even cheesecake filling without lumps.
- Letting the cheesecake cool gradually in the oven prevents cracking and ensures a creamy, delicate texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 0 minutes - 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 392 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg