Step 1: Infusing the Botanical Milk
Begin by heating the whole milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until it gently simmers. Remove from the heat, stir in the loose-leaf Earl Grey tea and dried lavender. Let this steep for exactly 15 minutes. Strain the milk into a bowl, pressing the leaves to extract maximum flavor, and allow the milk to cool to room temperature. This foundational step is crucial for unlocking the deep flavor profiles.Step 2: Preparing the Dry Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Aerating these ingredients ensures an even distribution of the leavening agents, preventing dense pockets in your baked cake.Step 3: Creaming for Aeration
In a separate bowl using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes. The mixture should become pale, fluffy, and significantly increased in volume. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This creaming method builds a microscopic web of air and fat, resulting in a feather-light crumb.Step 4: The Alternating Method
Turn your mixer to the lowest speed. Add one-third of the dry flour mixture, followed by half of the infused, cooled botanical milk. Repeat this process, ending with the final third of the dry ingredients. Mix only until just combined. Overmixing at this stage will overdevelop the gluten, resulting in a tough cake.Step 5: Baking the Cake
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto wire racks to cool completely.Step 6: Whipping the Lemon Honey Buttercream
While the cakes cool, prepare the buttercream. Beat the softened butter on high speed for 5 minutes until incredibly pale and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Once incorporated, add the honey, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Whip on medium-high for another 3 minutes until light, airy, and deeply fragrant..Step 7: Assembling the Cake
Place one cooled cake layer on a serving platter. Spread a generous, even layer of the lemon honey buttercream over the top. Place the second cake layer on top and use the remaining buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish with a sprinkle of lemon zest and a few sprigs of dried culinary lavender for a breathtaking presentation
