A Dose of Pretty

~ Paris ~ Leave a comment
{Morning beach walks – along with a true crime podcast + my dog – have become my new favorite way to start the day.}

This week was one for the books! The weather was gorgeous – cool, crisp mornings followed by warm, sunny afternoons – and the epitome of spring, we were nicely settled back into the routine of being home after a fun trip to Charleston, South Carolina over Easter weekend, and I got back into an old, pre-pandemic routine of daily walks. In 2019 and 2020, one of my favorite activities became going for long walks with Brody and listening to a podcast {it helped that I lived in downtown San Diego at the time so everywhere I went was usually on foot}. Somehow, over the following two years, that activity fell by the wayside. I’ve really enjoyed getting back into it and it was a nice reminder to not forget the things we used to love doing. I’m excited for a relaxing weekend, preferably filled with a couple of walks by the beach with a true crime podcast and my pup! I hope you have a great one as well!

{Lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes with a mascarpone cream sauce + blueberry coulis for a midweek brunch date.}
{Crafting night for springtime floral wreaths. Not pictured: the wine + cookies for snacks.}
{A bright sunset-hued rose that beautifully displays Brody’s favorite color.}
{Stunning rays of light as we flew over some southern states on our way to Charleston.}
{Brody’s paw prints always bring me the most joy.}

x Paris

Lavender Earl Grey Cake with Lavender Sweet Cream Frosting

~ Paris
This time of year always makes me want to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea thanks to the crisp air, chilly weather {in the mornings and nights}, and bright, sunshiny afternoons that ensure all our flowers are in bloom. Well, years ago I went to the Kona coast for my birthday and fell in love with Tazo’s earl grey tea {which was offered in our hotel room everyday} thanks to it’s lavender bergamot essence. While the tea was wonderful {and one I still drink religiously}, I immediately began dreaming of the desserts I could make with it, such as biscotti and cake. Since I’ve been baking a lot recently, I decided to combine my love of earl grey tea with my love for lavender and for cake. The result is a sweet cake with a hint of earl grey, slathered in a decadent lavender frosting. The lavender and earl grey create a distinct and unique flavor that pairs perfectly with tea or coffee as an afternoon indulgence or after dinner treat, and since the cake itself is made with tea, it made for the perfect opportunity to sip on some earl grey while baking the cake itself. I love how the final product has a sweet, floral infused flavor thanks to the lavender and earl grey cake + the sweet lavender frosting. And when topped with sugared lavender blossoms + white nonpareils, it feels like the perfect indulgence on a cool evening and the epitome of spring and summertime in a dessert.

Ingredients:
Tazo earl grey tea
1 ounce lavender simple syrup
Cake mix
Nonpareils
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Red and blue food coloring

Recipe:
1. Mix a yellow cake mix and add in 1 ounce of lavender simple syrup {equal parts sugar and water with fresh lavender blossoms, boiled down} and earl grey tea with lavender notes. Note: You can substitute water for tea for a stronger flavor, or since I wanted a milder flavor I added in 1 ounce of earl grey tea to the cake mix.
2. Bake the cake. Tip: Baking it in parchment paper makes it easy to remove from the cake pan.
3. To make the frosting, use equal parts powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream, and one ounce lavender simple syrup, and blend. By adding in a little red and blue food coloring, it helps create the pretty lavender color. If the frosting looks a little blue/ grey, add in a touch of red, and if it looks a little pink, add in a touch of blue.
4. Once the cake has cooked and cooled, frost it. I added sugared lavender from the lavender simple syrup for a pretty garnish and sprinkled white nonpareils on the cake edges.
5. Enjoy!

x Paris