Lemony Herb Cake
An lemon lovers dream dessert with Lemon Balm, Lemon Thyme and Lemon Verbena. An antique type moist recipe from days gone by with a modern twist.
Ingredients for the Cake:
1 tablespoon finely minced lemon verbena
1tablespoon finely minced lemon thyme
1tablespoon finely minced lemon balm
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of the lemon
2 cups sugar
1 cup of whole milk
2 sticks of butter, ½ pound
4 eggs, separated
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon URBANHerbal Madagascard Bourbon Vanilla Extract (or your choice)
2 tablespoons Paula’s Lemon Liquor ( or your choice of Lemon Liquor)
Ingredients for the frosting:
¼ cup whole milk
1 tablespoon lemon verbena, minced
1 tablespoon lemon thyme , minced
1 tablespoon lemon balm, minced
½ cup sugar
1 stick (8 tablespoons butter)
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of Paula’s Lemon Liquor ( or your choice of Lemon Liquor)
In a food processor bowl, add the sugar, then the lemon herb leaves and the lemon zest. Pulse a few times until the sugar and the leaves and the zest are completely blended. Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, add the milk, then 1 cup of the lemony sugar, heat on medium and stir until almost scalding, continuing to stir. Remove from the stove and allow the milk to cool for a few minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter your pan, either 2 large 9-inch layer cake pans, or 8 miniature cake pans which is what I like to use, I can serve little petite cakes or give them as gifts! Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Cream the butter, cut up into slices, add the other cup of lemony sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients and slowly add the blended milk. Add the lemon juice, and the vanilla and liquor.
Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold in ½ of the whites into the batter, then add the rest.
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven and let cool for the few minutes, then carefully remove from pans and remove parchment paper and allow to finish cooling on rack.
Make the frosting by adding the ½ cup sugar to the work bowl of the food processor, along with the zest of the lemon. Pulse until fully minced and blended. Set aside. Heat the milk in a saucepan, adding the blended herb sugar, and stir well. Heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring. Remove from stove and let cool. Add the lemon juice and liquor to the cooled milk and stir well. Cream the butter and add the blended milk and beat well. The frosting should be light and fluffy. Spread the frosting between the two cakes and stack and frost the top as well or frost each miniature cake. You can garnish with lemon herb leaves.
William “Bill” Varney
URBANherbal.com