BAKING WITH HERBS: LEMON BASIL POUNDCAKE WITH STRAWBERRY GLAZE

Fresh basil gives a new dimension to the flavors of lemon pound cake.  Top with a glaze made of fresh strawberries for a Spring Treat!

I watch a lot of baking and cooking shows.  They can be a source of inspiration as well as entertainment.  My latest not-so-guilty pleasure is the Great American Baking Show on the Roku channel.     Once I got past the awesome arrogance of Paul Hollywood expounding on what is and is not “an American bake”,  I discovered  the similarities of the show to the original Great British Baking Show were the ones I wanted to see: kind and enthusiastic home bakers supporting each other through wins and losses, and traditional home baked goods ranging from simple to complex.

Enough of the television review.

There is another reason why I mention the show.  Last week, one of the bakers made an infusion of basil in simple syrup and used it to add flavor to her sponge cake.  Apparently it weighed the cake down and made it heavy. Not a success.

However, I have been experimenting with a different  method of delivering the flavor of herbs in baking and here it is!

It starts with chopped basil and sugar.  Chopping the herb bruises the leaves and releases the oils which give the herb its flavor.

Add it to the sugar, in this case along with some lemon zest, and massage the herbs into the sugar.  You will smell the lemon and basil as you do so.  One of the pleasures of baking!

Massage the herbs in, using your fingrs to help release the oils into the sugar

Once the basil and lemon are well mixed into the sugar, proceed creaming the sugar and butter in your mixer the usual way: 1 minute to mix them together and 5+ minutes to get a light, very creamy texture.  SPOILER ALERT: It’s going to look green.  No worries, the final cake won’t!

Your batter may look a little grean but it the final cake will not!

Continue adding eggs as you beat it.  Then mix in the buttermilk and lemon juice in turns with the flour mixture (flour, baking soda and salt).  Finally fold in some freeze-dried strawberries.

Once the cake has baked and cooled, glaze it with a mixture of fresh strawberry puree, powdered sugar, vanilla and a little milk.

The cake is delicious.  The basil and lemon are evenly balanced and the hit of strawberry in the glaze is something to come back to over and again!

Print

LEMON BASIL POUND CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY GLAZE

Servings 2 8 X 5 Cakes

Author Susan Murray, www.awomancooksinasheville.com

Ingredients

For the Pound Cake

• ½ c chopped fresh basil
• Zest of two large lemons
• 1 c butter softened
• 3 eggs
• 2 ¼ c sugar
• 3 c flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 c buttermilk
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ c chopped freeze-dried strawberries

For the Glaze

• ¼ lb fresh strawberries
• 1 tbsp milk
• 2 c powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Make the cake.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8” x 5” loaf pans with baking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper.
2. Put the sugar, chopped basil and lemon zest in a small bowl and use your fingers to massage the basil and lemon into the sugar.
3. Put two sticks (1 cup) of butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the sugar mixture and beat on low for one minute until it is blended together. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until it is very light and creamy, 5 to 8 minutes. Scrap down the bowl once or twice during the mixing process.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
6. Add the lemon juice to the buttermilk and stir together.
7. Add one-quarter of the flour to the batter and beat it in on low. Add one-third of the buttermilk and lemon mixture and beat it in. Continue with one-quarter of the flour followed by one-third of the milk, ending with the flour, until everything is mixed in.
8. Stir in the chopped strawberries.
9. Split the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and bake 55-60 minutes until done. Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the strawberry glaze.

1. Clean the strawberries and remove the green tops. Cut them into small pieces and puree them with the milk in a blender or with an immersion blender. It does not have to be a smooth puree.
2. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla to the strawberry puree. You should have a thick but pourable icing. If necessary, add a drop or two more milk.
3. Pour the glaze over the cakes, letting it drip down the side.
4. Let the glaze set before cutting into the cake.

Recipe Notes

Note: If you have no buttermilk make a substitute by stirring a teaspoon of vinegar into a cup of whole milk. Let it thicken for five minutes before using.
The cake(s) can be frozen for up to a month.