Mini Lemon Thyme Pound Cakes with Lemon Glaze

Spring is always synonymous to me with cooking and baking with lemon.  I love little pound cake for  a tea or coffee.  Actually this recipe I normally make with poppy seed, not having any, I substituted fresh thyme which I think make these little cakes even better.

Mini Lemon Thyme Pound Cakes

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup cake flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup whole butter milk

2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup unsalted butter, softened  I always use Cabot butter

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Lemon Glaze

Garnish: fresh thyme springs

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour an 8-well mini loaf pan.  In a medium bowl, combine flour, cake flour baking powder and salt; sift 3 times.  Set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl and using mixer at high speed, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar continue beating until light and cream about 5 minutes.  Stop mixer and scrape down sides of bowl.

Add eggs, one at a  time, beating well after each addition and scarping down sides of bowl.  Reduce mixer speed to low, add flour alternately with buttermilk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Fold in fresh thyme. Divide batter between loaf wells, filling each about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near centers come out clean.

Transfer pan to a wire rack, cool for ten minutes.  Remove mini loafs from pan cool completely.  Drizzle with Lemon Glaze. Decorate with fresh thyme.  Can be stored in air tight container for up to five days.

Lemon Glaze:

5 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

In a small bowl, whisk together juice and confectioner's sugar until smooth. For thicker glaze, add more sugar. For a thinner glaze, add more lemon juice.

Enjoy!