Lemon Thyme Cake
Mar 18, 2026 04:56 AM
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.
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.
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.
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
Prep Time:
60 minutes
Total Time:
180 minutes
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