Lavender Coffee Cake

This a a recipe I haven't made in years. Just this weekend my friend Kate came to visit in Philly which meant brunch!! This cake is great because it can be made the night before. It's really moist and the crumb topping is fantastic. There's just enough lavender flavor so the cake is not overpowered. I bet substituting 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs would work too (Rosemary, perhaps?). I know Laura would like that! 

Recipe from The Joys of Lavender

Topping:

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together and set aside in a small bowl.

Batter:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tbs. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.

3/4 cups butter softened

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. dried lavender buds (pulse this in food processor with 1/2 cup of above sugar)

1/2 cup of brown sugar

3 eggs

1 and 1/2 cups of buttermilk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

Cream the butter. Then add the sugars and then the eggs one at a time. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla. Then add buttermilk and mix. Finally fold in the dry ingredients.

Pour half of the batter into The greased pan. Cover with 1/2 of the topping. Swirl it in gently with a knife so it is just lightly blended. Pour in the rest of the batter and top with the rest of the topping.

Bake for 60 minutes until a knife inserted comes out cleanly. Let cool before removing from pan.