Lemon-Thyme Pound Cake
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I love making Lemon-Thyme Pound Cake in the spring and summer months. This is a deliciously moist cake for you to try with some fresh garden herbs. Plus, you can bake it in loaf form or in mini Bundt pans–which are especially sweet for a tea party!
(Post modified with new photos on 9/3/22.)
When spring arrives, I’m always eager to get outside and plant herbs in my pots. My yearly go-to herbs are Italian parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary, mint, chives, and thyme. Then, for the next five or six months, I enjoy using them in our meals, and also in baking, before they are harvested. There is something quite satisfying in using fresh herbs.
Recipes for cookies, cakes, and bread work especially well for adding herbs into them. Think shortbread cookies or focaccia. And lemon and thyme are two ingredients that go together like tea and cookies, or peanut butter and jelly.
I first made this recipe by baking it in a loaf pan. Sliced pound cake makes a lovely dessert served with a side of fresh berries or a dollop of whipped cream. But this year I wanted to present individual servings at a tea party and decided to try making it in mini Bundt pans. I loved how it turned out. The recipe makes enough for 15 miniature cakes, but I had to double the lemon glaze to have enough for dipping the cakes into. Plus, the cakes freeze really well.
Ingredients for Lemon-Thyme Pound Cake
See full recipe at the bottom of this post.
- butter, softened
- extra-fine or baker’s sugar
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- lemon zest
- large eggs
- buttermilk
- cake flour
- fresh thyme
- salt
- baking powder
Lemon Glaze
- powdered sugar
- whole milk
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Spray a 9″x5″ loaf pan or a miniature Bundt cake pan with baking spray.
If using the mini cake pan, I recommend spraying it with Baker’s Joy for easy cake release. When I discovered this baking spray, I became a believer in using it. It’s well worth the extra money to buy. And I only use it for designed pans such as Bundt cakes or shortbread, so one can lasts awhile.
Prepare the Ingredients
Using a fine-grated zester, zest one large lemon. Place in a prep bowl.
With a knife and cutting board, slice lemon and then squeeze the juice from it with a lemon juicer. Pour juice into a prep bowl for later use. (You will need a total of 3-4 tablespoons for the cake and the icing.)
Remove the leaves from 3-4 thyme sprigs, enough to make 2 tablespoons. Finely chop with a knife.
If you do not have access to fresh thyme, you may use 2 teaspoons of dried thyme leaves.
Make the Cake Batter
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and extra-fine baker’s sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes.
If you don’t have extra-fine sugar, you may substitute granulated sugar.
Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Then add large whole eggs, one at a time, beating well between each.
In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, fresh thyme, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, until mixed well.
Pour into prepared pan (either loaf or miniature Bundt).
When filling the miniature Bundt cake pan, I scooped the batter with a 2 ounce scoop that was not quite full. 3 tablespoons would have been about perfect.
Bake in preheated oven for 80-90 for loaf pan until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or 20-25 minutes for the miniature Bundt pan, until the top and edges of the cakes turn golden brown.
Cool for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the loaf pan/Bundt pan. Cool on a wire rack.
Prepare the Lemon Glaze
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, whole milk, and freshly squeezed lemon juice until it’s smooth and silky.
Pour the lemon glaze over the still warm cake. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme.
If making miniature Bundt cakes, I like to dip the tops of the cake into the glaze and then return them to the wire rack to allow the glaze to set.
This recipe will make 1 loaf or 15 miniature cakes. Serve at room temperature. Store in a covered container for up to 5 days, or to freeze, wrap individual cakes in plastic wrap and then in freezer bag for up to 3 months.
See more Quick Breads Here. Browse Tea Party Recipes Here.
Lemon-Thyme Pound Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup butter softened
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cups buttermilk
- 2 1/4 cups cake flour
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Lemon Glaze (Double for Mini Bundt Cake Pans)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table. Spray loaf pan or miniature Bundt cake pan with baking spray.
Prepare the Ingredients
- Using a fine-grated zester, zest one large lemon. Place in a prep bowl.
- With a knife and cutting board, slice lemon and then squeeze the juice from it with a lemon juicer. Pour juice into a prep bowl for later use. (You will need a total of 4 tablespoons for the cake and the icing.)
- Remove the leaves from 3-4 thyme sprigs, enough to make 2 tablespoons. Chop with a knife.
Prepare the Cake Batter
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice and lemon zest. Then add large whole eggs, one at a time, beating well between each.
- In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, fresh thyme, salt, and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, until mixed well.
- Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for (80-90 minutes for loaf pan, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or 20-25 minutes for miniature Bundt pan, until tops and edges are golden brown).
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing the cake from the pan. Cool on a wire rack.
Make the Lemon Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, whole milk, and freshly squeezed lemon juice until it's smooth and silky. If making mini Bundt cakes, double the recipe.
- Pour the lemon glaze over the still warm cake. Garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. If making mini Bundt cakes, dip tops in glaze and return to wire rack for the glaze to set.
- Makes 1 loaf or 15 miniature Bundt cakes.
