Lemon Thyme Pound Cake
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Thyme, fresh
- 2 teaspoons lemon peel, finely shredded
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- Lavender lemon glaze (see below)
- Sugared violets (see below)
Lavender Lemon Glaze
- 1-2 tablespoons lavender
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup lemon juice
- Sugared Flowers: 6-12 edible flowers
- 2-3 egg whites for sprinkling sugar
GET COOKIN'
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour loaf pan. Set aside. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl, mix thyme, lemon peel, lemon juice and milk. Stir to combine. (May appear curdled.)
- On low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix each addition until just combined. Fold in almonds.
- Pour batter into a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean when inserted in the middle. Let cool for 15 minutes.
- Lavender Lemon Glaze: In a food processor, blend sugar with lavender flowers.
- Stir together lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture slightly thickened. Stir occasionally.
- Brush immediately onto cake.
- Sugared Flowers: Dip flowers in egg whites or brush egg whites onto flower petals . Sprinkle lightly with sugar.
- Place on a baking sheet to dry & crystallize. Decorate top of cake with flowers.
