Recipe by Molly Bolton
Punchy lemon, nutty almond, and fresh thyme come together to make the sweetest springtime treat! This simple, one-layer cake is soft, moist, and comes together effortlessly. Garnish with candied lemon and thyme for a beautiful, show-stopping bake, or simply top with vanilla-almond glaze to keep things easy-peasy (lemon-squeezy).
Recipe:
Ingredients
For lemon-almond-thyme cake:
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167 gm (1 1/3 c., spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour*
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32 gm (1/3 c., spoon and leveled) almond flour*
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1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
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1/4 tsp. baking soda
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150 gm (3/4 c.) granulated sugar
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Zest of two lemons
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2 large eggs, room temperature
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3/4 tsp. kosher salt
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112 gm (1/2 c.) vegetable oil
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21 gm (1 tbsp.) honey
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165 gm (2/3 c.) whole milk ricotta, room temperature
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80 gm (1/3 c.) sour cream, room temperature
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1 tsp. vanilla extract
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1/2 tsp. almond extract
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1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
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2 tsp. chopped thyme
For lemon syrup:
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60 mL (1/4 c.) freshly squeezed lemon juice
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100 gm (1/2 c.) granulated sugar
For vanilla-almond glaze:
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180 gm (1 1/2 c., spoon and leveled) powdered sugar, sifted*
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1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
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1/4 tsp. almond extract
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2 to 3 tbsp. whole milk
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Candied lemon slices and fresh thyme, for garnish***
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan or round cake pan with non-stick spray and line bottom with parchment paper.
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Sift flour and almond flour together into a bowl. Add baking powder and baking soda and whisk to combine.
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Add sugar and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Rub the zest into the sugar, until evenly distributed and fragrant. Add eggs and kosher salt and mix on medium high speed until pale and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add vegetable oil, honey, ricotta, and sour cream and mix on medium speed until just incorporated. Add vanilla, almond extract, and lemon juice and briefly mix to incorporate.
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Add the dry ingredients to the batter. Using a sturdy rubber spatula, gently fold the batter until just a few pockets of flour are visible. Add chopped thyme and finish folding until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix- the batter should be light. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
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Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. While the cake bakes, make the lemon syrup. Stir lemon juice and sugar together in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat, stirring continually until sugar is dissolved, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Once cake has finished baking, allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan**. Brush 2 to 3 coats of lemon syrup over the top and sides of the warm cake (you won’t use all of it). Allow the cake to cool completely before topping with glaze.
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To prepare the vanilla-almond glaze, add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and 2 tablespoons milk to a bowl and whisk to combine. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the icing reaches a thick drizzling consistency similar to that of honey. Spoon or pour over cooled cake, gently encouraging the glaze towards the edges. Decorate with candied lemon slices and fresh thyme, if desired.
Notes
*How to measure using the spoon and level method: If you don’t have a kitchen scale to measure ingredients by weight, use the spoon and level method for the most accurate measurement. First, loosen the flour in the canister or bag by fluffing it with a fork. Next, spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it’s full. Then, holding the cup over the canister or bag of flour, use the back of a knife to level off the flour.
**If using a round cake pan instead of a springform: After inverting the cake onto a wire rack, turn it right-side up by carefully inverting again onto another wire rack or serving dish.
***Other garnish ideas: candied lemon peel, fresh lemon zest, fresh lemon slices, toasted almonds
Storage: This cake is best served the day it is made. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Additional info:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes (plus cooling time)
Serves: 6 to 8
