Lavender Tea Bread

I love lavender!...  I grow it, I buy natural products that contain it and have taken classes about the flower.   I was thrilled to see my local co-op, Outpost, had a recipe in their magazine, Graze using it.  I gave it a shot for a party and it got rave reviews.  It's very tender, cake like.  I served it with a peach butter to kick it up a notch.

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Lady Cotswald's Lavender Tea Bread 
from Outpost Co-op's Graze Magazine, Milwaukee, WI

Makes 1 large loaf

3/4 Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons dried lavender flowers, finely chopped (or 3 Tablespoons fresh flowers, chopped)
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
6 Tablespoons Butter, softened
1 Cup Sugar
2 Large Eggs

1.  Grease 9x5x3 inch loaf pan and preheat oven to 325 F.
2.  In a saucepan, heat milk with lavender almost to a boil, then steep until cool.
3.  Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
4.  In another bowl, cream butter and gradually add sugar, then eggs, one at a time, beating until light and fluffy.  Add flour mixture alternately with lavender milk, in three parts.  Mix until batter is just blended, do not overbeat.
5.  Pour into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6.  Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.
7.  When completely cool, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.  Slice into thin slices for serving.