Lemon and Thyme Cake
ElectricKit Aga
https://westbrookcookers.com/electric-conversions/
You will need for the cake
300g butter, softened
300g golden caster sugar, plus a little more to make a syrup
Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons
5 large free-range eggs
350g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp chopped thyme leaves
3 large courgettes (500g), coarsely grated
For the icing
o 200g salted butter, softened
o 200g mascarpone
o Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons, plus the juice
of 1 lemon for the syrup
o 900g icing sugar, sifted
How to make:– Cake takes about 1hr 10 minutes
Measure out the butter for the cake and the icing and place in separate bowls at the back of the Aga to soften.
Heat your ElectricKit Aga oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
Lightly grease a 24cm round springform cake tin. (If you have two tins you can bake two separate sponges
and reduce the cooking time.)
Put the cake ingredients (minus the courgette) into a large bowl and beat together until perfectly combined and creamy in appearance – a stand mixer
is perfect for this.
Fold in the courgette and pour the mix into the cake tin. Lightly smooth over the top. Place on the second set of runners down from the top with the cold plain shelf beneath your bake. This is a long bake for a sponge cake at one hour 10 minutes (at least, it was in my Aga.) You’ll need to keep an eye on your cake and adjust according to the foibles of your Aga). Make sure the top doesn’t brown too quickly and adjust accordingly. If the cake is cooking too quickly, place it in the oven below your roasting oven – it should be at 110 degrees.
Check the cake is cooked through by inserting a skewer. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes.
Mix a little caster sugar with the juice of a lemon, then skewer the top of the cake in several places and pour over the syrup just as you would for a lemon drizzle cake.
Carefully remove the cake from the tin and place on a rack until it has cooled completely.
Make the icing by whisking all the ingredients together until smooth and fluffy.
Once the cake is cooled, carefully cut in half to create two sponges.
Use some of the icing to sandwich the sponges together, then use a palette knife to smooth the rest of the icing overthe cake. Chill for 20 minutes before
serving. Delicious!
