“Don’t plan it all. Let life surprise you a little.”
– Julia Alvarez
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
This was our son’s birthday week, and he requested a lemon cake with a ginger-thyme syrup… unusual but tasty. Meanwhile, his wife finished her wooden puzzles. And our oldest grandson got a new tattoo… a beautifully executed, delicate dove… very nice… peace.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
This is where letting life surprise you comes in… this cake didn’t turn out as expected, but it was crumbly and moist, with the unusual syrup actually the highlight. The recipe (by Dana Velden @ the kitchn) called for it to be baked in a loaf pan, but it ended up overflowing and had a crater in the middle. But the flavor was good, texture more like a coffee cake. I would bake it in a bundt pan if I made it again.
LEMON YOGURT CAKE with Ginger-Thyme Sauce
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
Pre-heat oven to 350°F Grease and flour a large Bundt pan.
Lightly whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.
In another large bowl, using an electric beaters if possible, beat butter until fluffy, then beat in sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, then add lemon juice and zest. Beat in yogurt. Mixture may curdle, but don’t worry–it will come together when the dry ingredients are added.
Add dry ingredients and mix gently just until blended.
Spoon into pan and place in oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until done. The cake will be golden brown on the outside and spring back when you lightly press the middle with your fingers.
SYRUP
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2″ piece of fresh, peeled ginger, sliced into coins
- 3 large sprigs of thyme
Combine all the ingredients in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring gently until the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat a little and cook until the syrup has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes total. Strain out the ginger and thyme and keep warm until the cake is out of the oven.
Pour some syrup over the cake and let it soak in. Serve cake with a little syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.
