Lemon Thyme Spice Cake

1 day ago 4

Democracy Dies successful Darkness

This tender barroom combines a pleasant hint of thyme with the spices; the summation of nuts gives the barroom much extent of flavor, but they are optional. The frosting is brushed alternatively than buttercream consistency. You tin permission the barroom successful the cookware to chill and dispersed the frosting implicit the top, oregon cautiously crook the barroom retired of the cookware onto a platter erstwhile it cools, past frost it.

Culinary herbalist and pedagogue Susan Belsinger likes to usage lemon-scented thymes, specified arsenic orangish balsam oregon Provencal, for this recipe. They are sweeter and person little thymol and carvacrol than different thymes, which impart a much savory flavor.

Because it takes a portion to harvest the thyme leaves utilized for the cake, it's a bully thought to person them prepped and acceptable to go.

Adapted from "Not Just Desserts: Sweet Herbal Recipes," by Susan Belsinger (Herbspirit, 2005).

Ingredients

measuring cup

Servings: 15 Makes 1 13-by-9-inch cake

For the cake

1/2 cupful full oregon low-fat milk
15 sprigs to 20 sprigs citrus thyme, positive a sprig oregon 2 for garnish
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, positive much for the baking pan
2 1/4 cups flour, preferably unbleached
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 spoon baking soda
1 spoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 spoon crushed cinnamon
1/4 spoon crushed cloves
1/4 spoon crushed ginger
3/4 spoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 ample eggs, separated
3/4 cupful buttermilk
2 tablespoons caller minced thyme leaves
1/3 cupful chopped, toasted walnuts, pecans oregon hazelnuts, optional, with optional nuts for garnish (see NOTE)

For the frosting

4 ounces low-fat pick cheese, astatine country temperature
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, astatine country temperature
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
About 2 tablespoons reserved lemon-thyme-infused beverage (see above)
1 tablespoonful good-quality maple syrup
Few dashes freshly grated nutmeg

Nutritional Facts

Per serving (based connected 15, utilizing low-fat milk)

Calories
370
Fat
13 g
Saturated Fat
8 g
Carbohydrates
57 g
Sodium
270 mg
Cholesterol
75 mg
Protein
5 g
Sugar
41 g

This investigation is an estimation based connected disposable ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian’s oregon nutritionist’s advice.

Adapted from "Not Just Desserts: Sweet Herbal Recipes," by Susan Belsinger (Herbspirit, 2005).

Tested by Bonnie S. Benwick.

Published June 11, 2013

Updated March 14, 2026