Elisa Sunga, founder of Cake Picnic, has seen thousands of baked creations at her multi-city gatherings. She published a new cookbook, “Cake Picnic: Recipes for the Love of Cake & Friends,” that’s part recipes and part how-to guide on hosting your own cake picnic.
She shares a recipe for lavender and lemon poppy seed cake from her book.
Excerpted from: “Cake Picnic: Recipes for the Love of Cake & Friends”
Chronicle Books 
Lavender & Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
A while back I finally made my way to a lavender field outside of London. When I got off the bus, I immediately smelled the floral scent in the air. It felt like I was being hugged by the nature around me. Whenever I bake with lavender, I revisit that field in my mind. For this cake, I highly recommend using food-grade lavender extract for both ease and true lavender flavor. This cake pairs classic lemon poppy seed with a trip to the lavender field. Come with me.
Makes one two-layer 9 in [23 cm] cake
LEMON POPPY SEED YOGURT CAKE
1¼ cups [250 g] granulated sugar
3 Tbsp lemon zest
1½ cups [340 g] vanilla yogurt, at room temperature
2⁄ 3 cup [132 g] neutral oil
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp kosher salt
2 1⁄ 3 cups [280 g] all-purpose flour
¼ cup [28 g] cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
LAVENDER SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
1½ cups [300 g] granulated sugar
6 egg whites
2 cups [452 g] unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1 in [2.5 cm] pieces
1 tsp table salt
½ to 2 tsp lavender extract, to taste
1 or 2 drops purple food coloring (optional)
DECORATIONS
Candied lavender, fresh lavender sprigs, lemon slices, candied lemons, piped buttercream swirls, flower petals, or sprinkles (optional)
TO MAKE THE LEMON POPPY SEED YOGURT CAKE: Preheat the oven to 325°F [165°C]. Grease and line two 9 in [23 cm] round cake pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Use your fingers to rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the oils. Add in the yogurt, oil, eggs, and salt. Whisk until smooth.
Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and baking soda over the mixture. Add the poppy seeds. Using a spatula, gently fold the ingredients together for a few turns. Do not overmix; some streaks of flour are fine.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared baking pans and use an offset spatula to smooth the tops. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack. Let the cakes cool in the pans to room temperature before running a butter knife inside the rim of the pans and inverting the cakes onto the rack.
TO MAKE THE LAVENDER SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM: Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and egg whites. Place the bowl over the simmering water, ensuring the bottom does not touch the water, and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F [70°C]. To test, rub a small amount between your fingers—it should feel completely smooth.
Remove the bowl from the heat and attach it to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 10 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the butter, one piece at a time. The mixture may look curdled at first, but it will come together. Once all the butter is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to high, and whip for another 5 minutes. Switch to the paddle attachment, add the table salt, lavender extract, and food coloring (if using), and beat on medium for another 10 minutes. The buttercream should be light, airy, and doubled in volume.
TO ASSEMBLE AND DECORATE THE CAKE: Place the first cake layer on a cake board or serving plate, securing it with a small dab of lavender Swiss meringue buttercream directly on the board. Using an offset spatula, spread about ½ cup [114 g] of the buttercream over the surface. If a thicker layer of frosting is desired, add more.
Place the second cake layer on top, aligning it carefully, flat side up for a smooth surface. Apply a thin crumb coat of buttercream over the entire cake to seal in crumbs, using an offset spatula to smooth it evenly. Chill the cake for 20 minutes to set the crumb coat.
Once set, use the remaining buttercream to frost the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it evenly or creating textured patterns with a spatula. Decorate as desired. Remove nonedible decorations before serving.
Andria Lo 
Excerpted from Cake Picnic: Recipes for the Love of Cake & Friends by Elisa Sunga. Published by Chronicle Books. Copyright © 2026 by Elisa Sunga.
