This one was inspired by my homeboy Nigel Slater. I think the thyme adds a beautifully unusual fragrance, but if you wanted to go for a turbo lemony version, then just replace the thyme with some more lemon zest! My advice though would be to give it a go with the thyme in first, then get your friends to try and guess what the mystery flavour is!
Prep time: 20 Mins
Baking time: 50 Mins
175g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
175g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
Zest of 2 Lemons
2tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves
200g Ground Almonds
1tsp Baking Powder
For the icing
Juice of 3 Lemons
Around 1.5tbsp Icing Sugar
2 Pinches of Fresh Thyme Leaves
Zest of 1 Lemon
You all know the drill! Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm loaf tin and line with baking paper. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the zest and thyme leaves, then fold through the ground almonds with the baking powder. Spoon into your prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for around 50 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the centre of the loaf. When you're happy it's cooked remove from the oven, leave in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
When the cake is cool you can prepare the icing. Pour the icing sugar into a bowl then sift in the icing sugar. Stir around until combined. The consistency should be relatively loose, just coating the back of a spoon, but if you want it a bit thicker then add some more icing sugar. Spoon all over the cooled sponge then sprinkle over the thyme leaves and lemon zest. Let the icing set then it's thyme, err I mean time to eat it!
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