“I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine”
William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
It may not be Midsummer yet but some of my culinary herbs are shaking off their winter mantle and turning their heads to this lovely spring sunshine – their fresh new growth keeps waving at me cheerily and it would be rude to ignore it!
I love having herbs planted right outside my kitchen window, ready to be snipped, chopped and thrown into whatever I have cooking, they add instant flavour and depth and the smell of them is guaranteed to draw my family to my side. Some of them, like rosemary and thyme, are just as happy in a sweet dish or aromatic cake as they are in a savoury. This fresh lemon cake spiked with thyme makes a perfect bake for Elevenses or Afternoon Tea, washed down with a piping hot cup of Earl Grey tea.
I’ve used Foxley thyme but any culinary thyme will do – lemon thyme would obviously be very pleasing but I’m a bit in love with the variegated leaf of Foxley so in it went!
It’s a very pretty thyme, it may be popping up in many more dishes as the year meanders on
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Lemon and Thyme Cake
Ingredients
- 200 g self raising flour , sifted
- 200 g softened butter
- 200 g caster sugar
- 2 tsps chopped fresh thyme
- 3 free range eggs (I used duck eggs here which have been a revelation in my baking, so light, so fluffy and such a rich colour!)
- 120 ml milk
- Zest and Juice of 2 lemons
- 100 g granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
- Beat the butter and caster sugar together using a hand whisk or free standing mixer until light and fluffy (the buttery goodness, not you!)
- Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition (they are much less likely to curdle if they are at room temperature when you start – if they do ‘go’ add a spoonful of your flour and beat again).
- Gently fold in the sifted flour, stir in the milk, the grated zest from your lemons and the thyme.
- Spoon the mixture into your prepared tin, gently level the surface and bake for 40 – 50 minutes until golden brown. Test if it’s cooked by pushing a skewer into the centre, if it comes out clean you’re done!
- While the cake is baking, prepare your lemon syrup. Pour the squeezed lemon juice into a small pan with the granulated sugar. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat immediately and simmer for 10 minutes or so or until the liquid has reduced by about half.
- Leaving the cake in the tin prick it all over with the skewer and pour the syrup as evenly as you can over the surface.
- Leave to cool for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve decorated with a sprig of thyme and a nice cup of Earl Grey tea with a slice of lemon
I love the light in this picture, the shadows cast by my kitchen blind, the little hint of my spring apron hanging on the back of the door, my lovely cake tins waiting patiently for their occupants – hoorah for spring baking!
I’m a bit obsessed with English baking traditions, I wrote about Elevenses this time last year (and shared this delicious recipe for Rhubarb Crumble Muffins – go on, take a peek, you won’t regret it!)
What a lovely idea! I adore herbs and thyme goes so well with lemon, definitely going to give this recipe a try.
Thanks Janice 🙂
I love the idea of pairing herbs that are usually used in a savoury dish in a cake like this. Rosemary springs to mind also. I adore lemon thyme – so fragrant and can only imagine how this smells!! Yum!
Rosemary goes really well in chocolate cake, I love it – *wanders off to make one AT ONCE* 🙂
What a lovely flavour combination! I’m loving the sunshine on those pics, yay for summer and tasty cakes!
There is a spot in my kitchen which catches the late afternoon sun’s lovely long rays Sus, I love it at this time of year!
Beautiful bake and gorgeous photos, you just motivated me to get my kitchen herb garden going – having been planning one for ages.
Hooray for herb gardens! I wouldn’t be without mine!
I’ve managed to keep some thyme alive this year so I think I might give this a go – it sounds delicious!
It’s lovely Laura and the thyme gives it something just a little bit special!
Mmm thyme is fab in cake, it is a fab herb! Waiting second on the list for an allotment, where I dream of growing rows of different herbs to transform dishes!
My Grandparents always stopped for elevenses. It is a fab tradition to have! x
P.S Not sure if it is a new format, but having a list of your posts on your email really invites you to read more. I need to walk the dogs now other wise I would be here even longer!
I’d forgotten how much I liked this cake and I still haven’t made it! Must do it this year.
Oh do Janice, you won’t regret it! 🙂