Step 1

Preheat oven to 340F. Butter and flour three 6-inch cake pans. Soak baking strips in water. (If you're making three 8" layers then double the batter, three 9" layers would need triple the batter.)

Step 2

Sift dry ingredients (including sugar). Whisk to combine.

Step 3

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, culinary lavender and loose black tea. Give it a quick stir. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain into a bowl to cool. Measure ½ cup for the batter. Reserve the rest for the buttercream.

Step 4

In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including butter and ½ cup of the infused milk.

Step 5

Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Whisk until combined.

Step 6

Add damp baking strips to the cake pans.

Step 7

Evenly distribute batter into each pans. I like to use a kitchen scale for precision.

Step 8

Bake for about 30- 35 minutes or until the centers are set and springy to the touch.

Step 9

Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar, slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.

Step 10

In a medium saucepan add the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat.

Step 11

Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear.

Step 12

Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.

Step 13

Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately.

Step 14

Run the mixer until meringue is cool/tepid, about 15 minutes. You can pack the bowl with ice or frozen peas if you want to speed the cooling down.

Step 15

Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature butter into running mixer one tablespoon piece at a time.

Step 16

Add the salt and vanilla.

Step 17

Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.

Step 18

Distribute into multiple bowls.

Step 19

Use food coloring to create a gradient of colors.

Step 20

Transfer to piping bags. Snip off the tips of each bag.

Step 21

In a stand mixer, cream the room temperature butter until fluffy.

Step 22

Sift in half of the confectioners sugar. Mix, then add the rest.

Step 23

Add in a few tbsps of the infused milk mixture until you reach a desired consistency.

Step 24

Add in 2 drops of lavender essential oil. Mix until combined.

Step 25

Reserve about 1 cup. Add in purple food coloring. Transfer to a piping bag.

Step 26

Add about the same amount of white to a piping bag. Add both the white and purple to one piping bag.

Step 27

Reserve about 1 cup for the roses. Dye with pink and orange food coloring. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 127 tip.

Step 28

Dye a small amount of buttercream green for a ring, which will be the base of your flower wreath.

Step 29

Reserve a small amount for the white daisies.

Step 30

Transfer the remaining white buttercream to 1 large piping bag.

Step 31

Cut a square of parchment paper. Use a tiny bit of buttercream to glue down the paper onto a piping nail.

Step 32

For the roses, pipe a small cone of very thick buttercream in the middle of the square.

Step 33

Use a 127 tip with the pointy side up to make the petals.

Step 34

Start with a spiral for the center.

Step 35

Pipe small arches for each petal, pointing the tip outward as you get towards the outer petals.

Step 36

For the daisies, add some white buttercream to a piping bag fitted with small petal tip. Pipe yellow in the center.

Step 37

Pipe the purple lavender swirl between each layer.

Step 38

Crumb coat the cake with the plain white buttercream. Smooth with a scraper and offset spatula.

Step 39

Starting with the darkest pink, pipe the Italian Meringue gradient.

Step 40

Smooth cake with a scraper.

Step 41

Chill the cake for about 10-15 minutes.

Step 42

Pipe a ring of green.

Step 43

Attach flowers to the ring and pipe leaves to fill in the gaps.