Basil & Lemon Cake

Prep time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 40-50 mins (or until knife comes out clean)
Serves: 8-10

Click here for the video recording

Basil & lemon cake! 🌿🍋

Cake batter:
• 180g all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 200g sugar
• zest of 2 lemons
• 180g yoghurt
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 100g olive oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or 1 whole vanilla pod)
• 1/3 cup YUZU’s Genovese Basil

Glaze:
• 50g powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon milk (adjust accordingly)

Oven temperature: 180°C

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a round cake pan or a loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingers until fragrant.
4. Add the yoghurt, lemon juice, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla extract (or vanilla seeds) to the sugar and lemon zest mixture. Mix well until smooth.
5. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
6. Gently fold in the basil (it's best to tear it up with your hands for best flavour, but chopped is also ok).
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan (putting parchment paper in the pan first makes it easier to remove the cake later) and smooth the top.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a knife or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Afterward, transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. For the glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add a little more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
11. Once the cake has cooled completely, drizzle the glaze over the top. Let it set for a few minutes before serving.