Citrus and herbs go hand in hand in this vibrant Lemon Thyme Cake. Light lemon cake if flecked with fresh thyme and layered with lemon buttercream. Add a ripple of homemade lemon curd for an extra pop of flavor and decorate with fresh thyme for a simple, rustic look.
The refreshing flavor combination in this Lemon Thyme Cake is sweet, tangy, and slightly herbaceous. You will love the familiarity of the light and fluffy lemon cake and lemon curd paired with the unexpected flavor of thyme.
Adding the fresh thyme into the cake batter really helped the flavor shine through all of the butter and sugar. But if I am being honest, I think the real star is the lemon curd buttercream.
Lemon curd swirled into the filling gives the cake a giant pop of flavor while thyme simple syrup keeps the cake layers moist and flavorful.
Love the look of this cake? You can learn how to ice an ombre cake and make your own. Finish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.
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Tasting Notes
Thyme has an earthy, minty, taste that is laced with citrus undertones. It is similarly to lavender and more delicate than rosemary.
Fresh herbs add layers of flavor without being too overwhelming, making them the perfect addition to baked goods.
My go-to is to infuse herbs into a simple syrup that gets generously brushed onto each cake layer. This time, I took a step further and added freshly chopped thyme straight into the cake batter.
This recipe uses the Creaming Method for super light and fluffy cake layers. Massage the lemon zest into the sugar to release all the lemon oil flavor before starting.
Ingredients
Pantry - granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, vanilla extract
Fridge - large eggs, unsalted butter, whole milk
Specialty Items
Cake flour - this low protein flour create a lighter, fluffier cake. See substitutions.
Fresh lemons - you will need both fresh lemon juice and zest from about 3 lemons
Fresh thyme - I have not tried this recipe with dried thyme as it tends to be more concentrated. Get fresh springs for a delicate thyme flavor
Egg whites - you will need extra egg whites to make the meringue in the Swiss meringue buttercream
Tools and Equipment
- Saucepan
- Mesh sieve
- Whisk
- Two, 8-inch cake pans
- Electric mixer
- Pastry brush
- Cake decorating tools: rotating cake stand, offset spatula, icing smoother
Steps for Making Lemon Thyme Cake
- Make the Lemon Curd - the curd needs to completely cool to properly thicken, so do this first. It can also be made up to a month in advance (stored in the fridge)
- Bake the Cake - allow the cakes to completely cool before splitting into layers
- Make the Buttercream
- Make the Thyme Syrup - do this while the buttercream is mixing to save some time
- Assemble the Cake - brush the layers with syrup and fill with buttercream and curd
- Decorate! - use your favorite cake decorating technique or make an ombre cake as shown.
Substitutions
Cake Flour - For every cup of cake flour, measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour minus 2 tablespoons. Add back 2 tablespoons of either corn starch or arrowroot powder to get 1 cup of cake flour.
Non-dairy Cake - I have not tested as such, but this cake would be a good candidate for using non-dairy milk and plant-based butter.
Variations
Love the idea of this lemon thyme cake but need to switch it up? Here are some options:
Whipped Buttercream Frosting - use this not-too-sweet, fluffy buttercream frosting instead of the Swiss meringue buttercream
Herbs - try other delicate herbs like basil, mint, or rosemary the same way as the thyme.
Serving and Storage
Serve the lemon thyme cake at room temperature. If making in advance, keep the cake in the refrigerator until about 20 minutes before slicing.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Lemon curd may be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Store leftover thyme syrup in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Use it to sweetened tea!
Lemon Thyme Cake Recipe FAQs
Choose a good quality aluminum cake pan with at least 2-inch tall sides.
You don't have to use cake flour, but cake flour has a lower percentage of protein compared to all-purpose flour that makes the cake softer. See Substitutions for making your own cake flour alternative.
Thyme has an earthy, minty, taste that is laced with citrus undertones. It is similarly to lavender and more delicate than rosemary.
Layer Cake 101
New to cake decorating? Start here:
How to Make Beautiful Layer Cakes
Buy my books! Layered and Icing on the Cake
Baker's Notes
- If cooking the lemon curd directly in a saucepan, be extra mindful of the heat and always keep stirring. If the outer sides of the saucepan are hot to the touch, then you should probably turn the heat down. If not, the curd may scramble.
- Cook the lemon curd long enough for it to thicken properly. It will continue to thicken even further as it cools, but it should resemble a pourable pudding when done.
- Strain the cooked lemon curd through a mesh sieve (before adding it to the butter). This not only catches the lemon zest but also any cooked bits of eggs (it happens sometimes).
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Recipe
Lemon Thyme Cake
Ingredients
For the Lemon Curd
- 5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter diced
For the Lemon Thyme Cake
- 3 cups cake flour
- 2 ½ teas baking powder
- ½ tea baking soda
- ½ tea salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme, loosely packed
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 large eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 1 tea vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
For the Thyme Syrup
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme, or small fist-full
For the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- 6 large egg whites
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 cups unsalted butter softened
- 2 teas pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Lemon Curd
- Place the butter in a heat safe bowl. Set a mesh sieve on top of the bowl and set aside.
- Whisk together the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, egg yolks, and egg in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, while stirring constantly with a heat-safe rubber spatula to keep the eggs from curdling. Cook until the lemon curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon or registers 170°F on a thermometer.
- Once thickened, remove the curd from the heat and strain through the mesh sieve into the butter. Stir the lemon curd until the butter melts and combines. Press a piece of plastic wrap directly to the surface of the curd and refrigerate until cool and thick.
Make the Lemon Thyme Cake
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the thyme and set aside.
- In a small bowl, rub together the sugar and lemon zest until the zest begins to release its oils and the mixture is quite fragrant.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add in the lemon sugar. Continue to mix on medium-high until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla, whole eggs, and egg whites – one at a time. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Turn the mixer to low speed. In alternating batches (starting and ending with the dry ingredients), add in half of the flour mixture. Pour in the lemon juice and the milk and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture. Mix on medium for no more than 20 to 30 seconds once the last bits of flour disappear.
- Divide the batter between to two cake pans and bake for about 25 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans.
Make the Thyme Syrup
- Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add in the thyme and continue to simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes. Let the thyme steep until cool. Strain and discard the thyme before use.
Make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream
- Place the egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk to combine.
- Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan to create a double-boiler. While whisking, heat the egg mixture until it reaches about 166 degrees on a candy thermometer.
- Once hot, carefully move the mixing bowl back to the mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat the egg mixture on high until stiff peaks form and the outside of the mixing bowl returns to room temperature (about 8 to 10 minutes).
- Turn the mixer to low, and begin adding in the softened butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Once the butter has been added and begins to incorporate, swap the whisk for the paddle attachment. Add in the vanilla. Turn the mixer up to medium-high and mix until silky smooth.
To Assemble the Cake
- Make the filling by folding together 2 ½ cups of the buttercream with ½ cup of lemon curd. Set aside.
- Once the cakes have completely cooled, carefully cut each in half (horizontally) with a long, serrated knife to create four, even layers. Generously brush each layer with the thyme syrup.
- Place the bottom layer of cake on a cake plate or serving dish. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium plain (round) tip with some of the buttercream. Pipe a ring of frosting around the outer top edge of the cake. Fill the ring with about ¾ cup lemon filling. Dollop on a couple tablespoons of lemon curd on top and gently swirl.
- Top with the next layer of cake and repeat. Frost the cake with the remaining vanilla bean frosting. Garnish with fresh thyme, if desired.
- To create the ombre swirl effect, remove about ⅓ of the remaining buttercream. Tint that portion the desired color of choice and set aside. Top the cake with a large scoop of plain vanilla bean frosting and smooth out, allowing for some of the frosting to get pushed over the sides. Take the tinted frosting and apply it to the bottom ⅓ of the cake with an off-set spatula.
- Mix the tinted buttercream with any remaining buttercream to create a lighter shade (add more coloring, if necessary). Fill in the sides of the cake with the lighter frosting. Once the cake is covered in buttercream, smooth out the sides with an icing smoother, off-set spatula, or bench scraper.
- For the swirled effect, place the cake on top of a cake turntable. Touch the tip of a metal spatula to the bottom of the cake. Rotate the turntable and move the spatula straight up the side of the cake. For the top, place the tip of the spatula near the outer edge. Rotate the turntable and move the spatula towards the center of the cake to create a swirl.
Patrice B
Lemon cake is my favorite and I will be making this. Congratulations on your book! Will you have any U.S. book signings? You make it look so easy and I've learned a lot. Thank you.
Tessa Huff
Thank you so much! I sure hope you love the cake. As of now, I will be at the Book Larder in Seattle on May 24th (more details to come). I am from California, so I hope to make it back to do something there soon too. Thank you for the support!
Kate
Hi!
Could I pop a couple of slices of lemon in with the thyme syrup?
stylesweet
Sure! I bet that would taste lovely.