I simply couldn’t wait for my next pie assignment.
I just had to get my hands on the rhubarb while it was still fresh in the garden.

And, I couldn’t bring myself to whip up the standard strawberry-rhubarb combination.
I had to do something different.

Rhubarb in inherently super duper tart – but often over sweetened in recipes to combat the crispy tang. Thus, I thought I’d bring back a hint of the tart with the marriage of raspberry and rhubarb, as well as enhance the nature of the two with the aromatics of lavender.

Oh, it worked, my friends. It worked quite well.

And, as today is a special day of celebration, I dedicate this treat as birthday cake for my bestie:
This one is dedicated to you, Valerina.

Lavender Raspberry Rhubarb Cake

4 Tbs. butter (or coconut oil) + additional for greasing cake pan
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup local honey
2 cup rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces, blanched and well drained
12 oz. fresh raspberries
1 tsp. dried lavender
pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs (or egg substitute)
1/2 cup cream (or full fat coconut milk)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9″ round pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment paper as well as the sides of the cake pan. 
Melt 4 Tbs. butter in a medium sauce pan. Add the sugar, honey, lavender, and salt and stir until smooth. Add the blanched rhubarb and cook to coat thoroughly. Remove from heat.
Carefully remove the rhubarb pieces from the sugar mixture and form the pieces into decorative chevrons on the bottom of the prepared cake pan.
Add the raspberries into the sugar mixture and gently stir until all berries are coated and warm.
Pour the raspberry sugar sauce over the rhubarb design.

Meanwhile, cream the 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup sugar for the cake using an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture alternately with the cream, beginning and ending with the flour.

Spread the batter over the fruit in the cake pan. Bake until the cake springs back when touched in the center, about 50-60 minutes. 
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to stand 5-10 minutes.
Turn out the cake on to a cake plate and remove the parchment layer to reveal the beauty.