Lemon Thyme Pound Cake with Cinnamon Poached Plums

. May, 2016
Photography by Claire Aldous.
Lemon Thyme Pound Cake with Cinnamon Poached Plums

If you perfect just one baking recipe make it this moist, totally delicious pound cake. Serve it plain or iced, toasted or grilled – it also goes with most fresh or roasted fruits. Or you can whip up flavourful versions by adding dried fruit, spices, nuts and chocolate.

INGREDIENTS

150 grams butter at room temperature
150 grams cream cheese at room temperature
1¼ cups caster sugar
finely grated zest 1 each lemon and orange
4 x eggs, size 7 (large)
2 cups plain flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon very finely chopped thyme or rosemary leaves
Lemon syrup
¼ cup caster sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
To serve
mascarpone, cream or yoghurt (optional)
25cm x 13 cm loaf tin greased and lined fully with baking paper. (8-cup capacity)


Cinnamon Poached Plums
10 medium, firm but ripe Black Doris plums
½ cup water
¼ cup brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon

 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

Lemon syrup: Put the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.

Beat the butter and cream cheese together until very light and fluffy.

Add the caster sugar and zest and beat again until light.

Whisk the eggs in a jug then gradually beat into the butter mixture, making sure each is well mixed before adding the next quantity.

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and thyme and with the mixer on low, add the flour mixture to the batter, stirring just enough to blend, but don’t over mix or the cake will be tough.

Spoon into the loaf tin and smooth the top. Bake for 55–60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Poke holes all over the top of the hot cake with a skewer and spoon over the lemon syrup. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

To serve: Cut into thick slices and serve with the poached plums and their syrup and a dollop of mascarpone, cream or yoghurt.


Cinnamon Poached Plums

Put the water, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan that holds the plums snugly in a single layer.

Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the plums, cover and simmer very gently for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer for a further 5–6 minutes or until very tender but not collapsing.

Cool in the syrup for 10 minutes then gently lift out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Return the syrup to the heat and boil until reduced and syrupy, stirring occasionally. Cool the plums and syrup separately.