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Magical Butterfly Pea Flower Lemonade Cake Recipe with Color-Change Magic

butterfly pea flower lemonade cake - featured image
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A visually stunning cake that changes color from blue to purple thanks to butterfly pea flower tea reacting with lemon juice, paired with a bright lemonade flavor and creamy vanilla bean curd.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) brewed butterfly pea flower tea, cooled (steep 2 tbsp dried flowers in hot water for 5 minutes)
  • 3 tablespoons (45ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the Vanilla Bean Curd:
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup (65g) sugar
  • 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (or 1 tsp vanilla extract as substitute)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour 8-inch round cake pans or line with parchment paper.
  2. Brew butterfly pea flower tea by steeping 2 tablespoons dried flowers in 1/2 cup (120ml) hot water for 5 minutes. Strain and cool completely.
  3. Make vanilla bean curd: whisk 3 egg yolks and 1/3 cup (65g) sugar in a small saucepan until smooth. Add lemon juice and scraped vanilla bean seeds.
  4. Place saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (8-10 minutes). Remove from heat.
  5. Stir in cold butter cubes one at a time until fully incorporated. Strain curd through fine mesh sieve, cover with plastic wrap touching surface, and chill.
  6. Prepare cake batter: cream 1/2 cup (115g) softened butter and 3/4 cup (150g) sugar until light and fluffy (3-4 minutes).
  7. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  8. Sift together 1 cup (125g) flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl.
  9. Alternate adding dry ingredients and cooled butterfly pea flower tea to butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix gently but thoroughly.
  10. Stir in 3 tablespoons (45ml) fresh lemon juice last and watch the batter change color from blue to purple.
  11. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops.
  12. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and cake springs back lightly.
  13. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
  14. Assemble cake by spreading a generous layer of chilled vanilla bean curd between layers. Optionally spread thin layer on top and sides.

Notes

Use fresh lemons for best color change and flavor. Ensure butterfly pea flower tea is brewed strong and cooled before adding to batter. Avoid overmixing after adding lemon juice to preserve color shift. For dairy-free version, substitute butter with coconut oil and use plant-based milk for tea. Chilling vanilla bean curd helps it spread easily and hold shape.

Nutrition

Keywords: butterfly pea flower cake, color change cake, lemonade cake, vanilla bean curd, summer cake, natural food coloring, edible flower cake

Find it online: https://sunnysavory.com/magical-butterfly-pea-flower-lemonade-cake-recipe-with-color-change-magic/