Lemon Thyme Cake

Lemon thyme cake
This is honestly one of my favourite cakes! Simple yet super delicious- it’s moist, very soft and fragrant with lemon and thyme speckled throughout. Lemon and thyme are often use together in savoury dishes- but the combination works just as well in cakes as the thyme is subtle and complements the bright lemon flavour. This cake is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack and goes well with tea/coffee. Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do😊

Ingredients
¾ cup soft butter
1 cup white sugar
1 tbsp packed lemon zest (zest of about 2-3 lemons)
1 tbsp packed finely chopped thyme leaves
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup vanilla greek yogurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
For the glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar and about 1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease a loaf pan- 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" in dimensions, then line with parchment paper and grease the paper as well to ensure easy cake removal after baking.
3. Beat butter for a few minutes on medium speed and then add sugar, lemon zest and thyme. Cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy for about 6-7 minutes on medium speed, scraping the bowl with a spatula regularly.
4. Add eggs one at and time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and continue beating the mixture on high speed for 1-2 minutes until the batter is very aerated.
5. Add the lemon juice and yogurt and continue mixing for 1 more minute. The batter may look a little curdled at this point but don’t worry- this is ok.
6. Prepare flour mixture in a separate bowl- whisk flour, baking powder and salt together.
7. On low speed add the flour mixture to the rest of the batter. I like to finish mixing by hand to avoid over mixing.
8. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until an inserted cake tester comes out clean. Let the cake cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
9. Make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar and about 1 tbsp of lemon juice. You can make the glaze as thick or thin as you like by adjusting the sugar and juice measurements. Decorate with strips of lemon zest and thyme leaves.
10. Pour the glaze on the cool cake. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!

Tips
1. This cake recipe can easily be doubled to make 2 8 or 9-inch round cakes.
2. I like to wash the lemons with warm water and soap before zesting.
3. Use room temperature ingredients to ensure that they all mix well together.
4. Cream the butter and sugar for at least 6 minutes. This will ensure that lots of air is incorporated into the butter yielding a light and fluffy cake.
5. Do not over mix the batter after adding the flour. This will deflate the batter and over develop the gluten in the flour making the cake dry and hard.
6. Store this cake at room temperature or in the fridge. I like to warm my cake in the microwave for 10-15 seconds before enjoying when stored in the fridge. Trust me- this makes a huge difference to the texture and taste of the cake compared to a cold slice of cake.
7. The glaze is optional but highly recommended.