There is nothing like cake to celebrate a special occasion, and Imbolc is no exception. I think this round golden sponge cake is a wonderful addition to any Imbolc Feast -also known as Brigid’s Feast of Fire. It’s kept gorgeously moist with brushings of lavender and rosemary syrup (between cake layers), but the slight tang of the Mascarpone icing keeps it from being overly sweet. But best of all, it’s filled with all kinds of food magic!
Imbolc is an ancient Celtic/Gaelic holiday that celebrates the day the sun and fire goddess Brigid (Brigit, Brighid, Bride, Bridgit, Brídey) returned to earth, bringing green to the land. I’m not going to delve into the lore of Brigid (and her later incarnation as St. Brigid), but you’ll find plenty of info here. What’s most important to the topic at hand is that Imbolc was the occasion of a great feast, “Brigid’s Feast” Feast of Light” “Feast of Fire” and all kinds of magical cakes were made in her honour. Feasting at Imbolc was all about offering thanks for a fertile crop to come. Round golden cakes symbolised the power of the sun, as did milk, cream, butter, eggs and honey.
Brigid was believed to be a teacher of ‘herbcraft” and so many plants and flowers sacred to her, such as sage, heather, violets, rosemary, angelica and blackberry, were often featured in Imbolc foods. Each came with its magical purpose. Sun herbs like rosemary and lavender, for example, brought their powers of purification, protection and prosperity, which were ritual themes throughout all Imbolc celebrations.
I’m continually inspired by Imbolc lore, and this year to celebrate, I’ve come up with this Lavender & Rosemary Seed Cake. I’ve added nettle and poppy seeds to the icing, as it was traditional to bake all kinds of seeded bread and buns. These symbolised the growth of new life, so important at this time of new beginnings. (If you can’t find nettle seeds, just use poppy seeds – it will be fine!) Poppy seeds were introduced by the Romans to the British Isles (just as rosemary and lavender).
Each poppy flower produces thousands of seeds, symbolising fertility and plenty. Today, poppy seeds are often included in modern Imbolc celebrations—perhaps a lingering legacy of Roman culinary traditions.
Savillum was an ancient Roman cheesecake sprinkled with poppy seeds. Made with a simple mixture of soft, fresh cheese, flour, eggs, and honey, it would be equally at home on Bridget’s Feasting Table. I created the version below for Brigantia, sister to the Irish Brigid and the Scottish Bride, whose names also stem from the Proto-Celtic root Brigantī, meaning the “Bright,” “Exalted,” or “Queenly” One. (Recipe available at Gather Victoria Patreon.
Imbolc is the time the earth stirs, preparing to give new life, and it offers us an opportunity to awaken from the quiet of winter and start making plans for the future. Making this cake can be a quiet ritual, so when you’re creaming, beating, and stirring, contemplate the seeds you wish to plant in the coming year. What will you nurture and bring into the world? Bake your intentions into this cake – and then ceremonially eat with friends – or alone! (Magical Baking Tip: stir batter clockwise for good luck and good health and counter-clockwise for banishing bad ju-ju.)
Today, Imbolc is interwoven with St. Brigid’s Day and has been fixed to the dates Feb 1st (Imbolc Eve) and Feb.2nd (Imbolc Day), but it was originally a movable feast determined by celestial alignments. Originally, Imbolc falls at the halfway point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox, so the “true” date fluctuates. But no worries, even if you’re still buried in snow – spring is officially on its way. So consider celebrating the coming of Brigid with a magical cake fit for a goddess – or a saint!
May Brigid’s blessings be with you!
Lavender & Rosemary Seed Cake
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
(Makes two 9-inch cake rounds)
- 4 ounces butter, melted and cooled, plus more for pans
- 1 ½ cups of flour (cake flour ideally), plus more for pans
- 9 large eggs, room temperature, separated
- 1 ½ cups sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
Pinch of salt
Lavender & Rosemary Syrup
- 1 tablespoon lavender buds ( this is a subtle amount; you can use more if you really like lavender!)
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 1 ½ cup of sugar
- 1 cup of water
Mascarpone Icing
- 1 ½ cup mascarpone chilled
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 1 cup double cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon nettle seeds (just use additional poppy seeds if you don’t have any)
- ½ tablespoon poppy seeds
- (and a few extra seeds for sprinkling over the finished cake)
Directions
Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the egg yolks and 1 cup of the sugar in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is warm, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, beat this egg mixture with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla, orange zest and salt.
- In a new bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff, about 2 minutes. Fold one-third of egg whites into yolks, then gently fold in the remaining whites. Sift flour over the top and gently fold in. When all is folded in, slowly pour in melted butter and fold just enough so that is blended and smooth. Don’t overwork, or you’ll let all the air out of the egg whites!
- Divide batter among pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in centres comes out clean, about 25 minutes. After baking, immediately invert the cake and remove the parchment, then cool right side up.
- Cut each cake in half through the centre, so you end up with 4 layers of cake. You may have to take off the cake tops if they are too rounded, but it can get tricky, so try just to shave off any obvious bumps.
Lavender & Rosemary Syrup
- Place all your ingredients in a pot. Bring the mixture to a soft boil (not a rolling boil) for 5 minutes. Then turn it down to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for at least 10 minutes before straining the plant material out.
Mascarpone Icing
- Whip chilled mascarpone with icing sugar and vanilla extract for 1-2 minutes until well combined. Then add your seeds, double/whipping cream and whip for 2 more minutes until stiff.
Cake Assembly
- To assemble the cake, brush each layer generously with syrup, then add just enough mascarpone cream to cover the layer. Don’t go crazy – you’ll need enough to ice the top and sides as well!
- Once the cake is assembled, spread the icing over the top. Cover the sides with the remaining mascarpone cream, then, using the edge of a spatula, scrape it off the sides of the cake to reveal the sponge, creating the “naked cake” effect.
- Decorate the top with rosemary & lavender sprigs, sprinkle a few additional seeds and a few lavender buds.
P.S. You can find more Imbolc recipes here.
