Lemon, thyme, almond and honey cake

A golden, sun-soaked cake that brings together the rustic charm of ground almonds and polenta with zesty lemon, fragrant thyme and extra virgin olive oil. Naturally sweetened with honey, it bakes into a tender, textured sponge that soaks up a glossy lemon syrup for extra moisture and zing. Finished with a dollop of lemon, honey, and thyme infused Greek yoghurt, this Mediterranean-inspired bake is both wholesome and luxurious. Each slice is bright, earthy and perfectly balanced between fragrant, tangy and sweet. Even better, as it’s a dense and moist sponge, it keeps really well (up to 10 days) with the flavours continue to develop over time.

Time to prepare : 20 minutes

Time to bake : 45 minutes

Servings : 12

Ingredients

180g ground almonds

180g fine polenta*

1 tsp baking powder

260g runny honey

4 whole eggs

2 egg whites

90ml extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or lemon thyme)

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp vanilla extract

Lemon syrup glaze

Juice of 1 lemon

50g caster sugar

Lemon and honey greek yogurt

250g greek yogurt

1 tbsp honey

Zest of ½ lemon

1 tsp fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves (optional)

Pinch of salt

Method

1. Pre-heat a fan oven to 140°C. Grease and line an 8 inch* cake tin.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the ground almonds, polenta and baking powder, stir to mix everything together evenly.

3. In a separate large mixing bowl, use a handheld electric mixer to whisk the 4 whole eggs and 2 egg whites on a medium speed until pale and frothy. Add in the honey, olive oil, thyme leaves, lemon juice and zest and the vanilla. Mix again on a low speed until combined.

4. Combine the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients and fold through with a spatula until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth out the top.

5. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or until golden with no wobble and a soft 'spring-back' when gently pressed with a fingertip in the centre.

6. Whilst the cake is baking, prepare the lemon syrup glaze. Add the lemon juice and sugar to a small saucepan over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring it to a gentle simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat to let it cool and slightly thicken.

7. Mix together the greek yogurt, lemon zest, thyme (if using), honey and salt together. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve with an extra drizzle of honey.

8. Once baked, let the cake cool in it's tin for 10 minutes. Then remove from the tin and place onto a wire cooling rack. Poke small holes all over the surface of the cake using a toothpick or fork and then slowly pour over the lemon syrup, brushing it over with a pastry brush and allowing it to soak in.

9. Leave to cool completely before slicing and serving with the lemon and honey greek yogurt.

   
   

Nutritional Information

(per serve, with glaze and yogurt)

340 calories

10g protein, 55g carbs, 17g fat

Good to know:

• Polenta (also called cornmeal) is made from ground yellow corn and can be used in savoury and sweet dishes. I prefer using fine polenta (more ground than regular polenta, also called fine cornmeal) for baking.

• I use an 8 inch cake tin but you could also use a 9 inch one, just note the sponge will be slightly thinner and may bake slightly quicker (about 30 - 35 minutes). I prefer a springform cake tin for this recipe but you can use a regular one too.

• This recipe is naturally gluten free but make sure you're using a certified GF baking powder (some contain wheat-based starch) if that's important for you.

• The cake is dairy-free and you could use a coconut or dairy free yogurt alternative to serve, if preffered.

• Lemon thyme is a variety of thyme with a hint of citrus, lemon-like flavour. It's available in most supermarkets.

• Because this is made with olive oil and honey (all moisture retaining ingredients), this cake keeps really well and doesn't dry out as quickly as regular sponge cakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for up to 10 days.

• Freeze as a whole cake or in slices (before the lemon syrup glaze) by wrapping tightly in cling film and storing in an airtigher container for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 3 - 4 hours and then make and apply the lemon syrup as usual.