Let me start by saying, I will NEVER use a silicon baking pan again in my life!
Hardly a riveting way to start a post but, honestly, my silicon bundt pan proved a right pain. I ended up baking this cake for TWO hours just to get the middle part cooked. Which, of course, created an ultra crunchy exterior – ironically, everyone loved that!
But, enough with my complaining. Let’s get down to the focus of this post – this uber delicious bundt cake.
Not having made a bundt cake in a couple of years, I suddenly had a hankering to make one again. This recipe from Debbie Major at Delicious Magazine.co.uk pairs lemon and thyme and as I’ve not been quick to use herbs in my sweets, I took this opportunity to give it a try. I loved that it included yoghurt in the mixture, ensuring an extra tender and moist crumb.
As usual, I converted the recipe to gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour blend. I do have to warn you though… this recipe has got a LOT of sugar in it, though it doesn’t actually taste overly sweet. Initially, I was going to halve the amount, but then I worried that it would affect the texture and moistness, so chickened out. Oh well, we’ll put it down to a special treat.
And, let me say, it was truly delicious. I really enjoyed the lemon and thyme combination and the lemon glaze over the cake, along with the tart lemon icing, ensures a full-on lemon hit.
I’ll make this again, for sure, though next time it’ll be a good, old-fashioned metal pan, thank you very much!


LEMON & THYME BUNDT CAKE
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 6.1 oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 12.3 oz caster (superfine sugar)
- Finely grated zest 2 large lemons
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 12.3 oz gluten-free flour or plain flour if preferred
- 7 oz natural goat's milk yoghurt (I used cow's milk yoghurt)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, roughly chopped
For the lemon syrup:
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp caster (superfine sugar)
For the lemon icing:
- 6.1 oz icing (confectioner's sugar)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp boiling hot water
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
For the cake:
- Heat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease a 24cm non-stick bundt tin or ring-shaped cake tin with butter.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl for 5 minutes or until pale and fluffy. Beat in the lemon zest, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a good tablespoon of the flour with the second and third egg.
- Spoon half the yoghurt onto the mixture, sift over the baking powder with a pinch of salt and half the remaining flour, then fold in. Repeat with the remaining yogurt and flour, along with the thyme.
- Spoon the mixture into the tin, then bake for 50-55 minutes until risen and golden brown, and a skewer pushed into the thickest part of the cake comes away clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a cooling rack over a large baking tray.
- Poke holes through the cake, then brush on the syrup while the cake it still hot (see recipe below).
- Leave the cake to cool, and when it is still slightly warm to the touch, spoon over the icing (see recipe below), allowing it to drizzle over the sides. Sprinkle with the thyme leaves and allow to set.
For the lemon syrup
- Mix the lemon juice and sugar in a small bowl or jug until the sugar has dissolved (you don’t need to heat the mixture).
For the lemon icing:
- Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, strain over the lemon juice, add the hot water and mix until smooth.
This cake looks gorgeous, Susan, I love your beautiful decoration. I’ve never used the lemon/thyme combo in anything so I think it’s high time!
Thanks Nicole! Yes, it’s an interesting combination for sure – Lemon Thyme might have been an interesting substitute too.