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Lemon drizzle cake is one of the most delicious cakes to have ever been invented, at least that’s what fans of the cake might say if you asked them. But, we found a recipe that uses fresh thyme in a gorgeous lemon cake batter and the combination of the two is better than we could have imagined. For some folks, it might sound weird to add a traditionally savory herb to a sweet cake. However, the freshness of the thyme compliments the zingy lemon perfectly and is a wonderful foil to the sweet cake and glaze.
Not only does this recipe call for fresh thyme in the cake, but also in a simple syrup that you soak the cake in. This really kicks up the flavor of this delectable cake.
The batter for this lemon cake gets a lot of rich flavor from whole milk yogurt, vanilla, and olive oil. Once the cake is baked and allowed to cool, then the thyme-infused syrup is poured over the top.
Once the cake has been baked, cooled, and soaked then its time for the final touch: the glaze. Made from powdered sugar and lemon juice, this is what gives this treat a little subtle tartness and makes it come alive.
It’s called a breakfast cake, but you could make this cake for any occasion really. The blend of flavor profiles in this recipe make it a sophisticated take on a comforting classic. If you love lemon cake then this one is definitely for you.
Lemon Thyme Breakfast Cake
Allergens: Gluten
Diet: Vegetarian
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2-3 teaspoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons worth)
- 2 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
For the lemon thyme syrup:
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
- Into a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate medium bowl combine yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, thyme, vanilla, and olive oil and stir. Gently fold in the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just incorporated.
- Pour cake batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until a knife or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then remove cake from pan. Allow to finish cooling on a cooling rack.
For the syrup:
- Combine lemon juice, sugar and thyme in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove thyme stems.
- Remove thyme stems from pan. Spoon syrup over cake and allow cake to cool completely before adding the glaze.
For the glaze:
- Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over cooled cake. Stir together the powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake and serve.
Recipe adapted from Garnish With Lemon.