Sweet Milk Cake with Blue flowers Glaze

 The original recipe topped the cake with piped whipped cream. However, since there are three types of milk products in the cake itself, I bypassed the whipped cream topping and opted instead to invent a sexy glaze. 

 I was inspired by this gorgeous Provencal Wildflowers mix from Herbaria I picked up at the Fancy Food Show in New York at the end of last month. 

The mix contains Hibiscus, Elderflower, Cornflower, Lavender and Orange Petals, Thyme Petals and Leaves, Violet, Erica and Yarrow Petals, Saffron threads. All of the ingredients are certified organically grown.

I admit my jaw dropped a little when I was examining it. The nice Herbaria guy was amused enough at my reaction to gift me with my own tin.

The cake is super sweet and sticky. What I like about using this flower mix for the glaze is the savory elements provide some balance to all the milky sweetness.

If dried blue flowers are too hard to find, you can easily substitute dried lavender. Just make sure to halve the amount.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 1+1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1+1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 – 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup whole milk

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon edible blue flowers plus 2 tablespoons for  garnish (You can substitute dried lavender, just halve the amounts.)
• 2+1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

• Make the cake:
• Line an 8″x 12″ baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
• Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
• Place the eggs in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the eggs for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat for 8 minutes until creamy.
• Place the butter in a separate bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let the butter melt then stir to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Slow the mixer down to low and add the dry ingredients to the egg and sugar mixture.
• Add the melted butter and water and combine thoroughly.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes.
• Whisk together the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk and whole milk.

• Use a fork to poke holes all over the top of the cake and evenly pour the milk mixture over the top until the cake is soaked. Don’t over soak the cake. The liquid should be completely absorbed with no residue sitting on top of the cake. Pour half of the liquid over the cake at first, let the cake absorb the liquid and then add a bit at a time until the cake is soaked. Reserve the rest of the milk mixture if you have some left over. 
• Let the cake stand for two hours at room temperature and then Place it in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes. 

Make the blue flower glaze:

• Heat the granulated sugar together with the water. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved, add the flowers to the mixture and cook for another few minutes until the water starts to turn color.
• Remove from heat and cool completely. 
• Remove the cake from the fridge and remove it from the pan. Transfer it to a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 
• Place the powdered sugar in a bowl and whisk in the flower syrup one tablespoon at a time until the mixture is a pourable glaze consistency.  If you have some of the milk mixture left over add it to the glaze or add whole milk, one tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches a pourable consistency. 

Finish the cake:

• Pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Use a cake or rubber spatula to gently smooth the icing evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle with the remaining two tablespoons of dried flowers. 
• When the glaze has hardened completely, carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate. Cut and serve.