Mini lemon thyme polenta cakes
From the baking book called You Had Me At Cake by Emelia Jackson, these little cakes are a riff on the classic pound cake – a pound of this, a pound of that – which is why you’ll find very rounded amounts in the ingredients list.
Emelia says she used lemon thyme to flavour these beauties, but rosemary would be a great substitute (or you could omit the herbs altogether if that’s not your jam).
INGREDIENTS | Makes 18
- Oil spray, for greasing
- 250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 200g caster sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 150g polenta
- 190g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 21/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 Tbsp lemon thyme
- Grated zest of 2 lemons
- Lemon thyme flowers, to garnish
- Rind of 1 lemon, peeled into thin strips, to garnish
Lemon glaze
- 150g icing sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spray an eight-cavity round 5.5cm silicone mould with oil.
- Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and caster sugar for three to four minutes or until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly between each addition.
- Add the polenta, plain flour and baking powder and mix until just combined before adding in the lemon thyme and lemon zest and mixing to combine.
- Pour the batter into the moulds, filling them three-quarters full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the cakes are lightly golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed.
- Allow the cakes to cool in their moulds for five minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the lemon glaze, place the icing sugar in a mixing bowl and add just enough lemon juice to create a thick glaze; you want roughly the same consistency as thickened (heavy) cream.
- Place a tablespoon of the glaze over the top of each cake and let it run slowly down the sides before topping with lemon thyme flowers and a twist of peel to garnish.
- Let the cakes sit for 30 minutes to allow the glaze to crystallise before serving.
