A Lemon & Lavender Syrup Cake to brighten up a bitter and blustery spring day

Our abundant lemon tree also inspires a Middle Eastern side ~ Smoky Lemon Roasted Cauliflower with Capers & Preserved Lemons

As I began writing this newsletter yesterday, I had awoken to yet another cold and blustery spring day on the West Coast. The view out our kitchen window shows the Tasman Sea peeping through the branches of a giant Rata that grows towards the west, and usually at this time of the year we spend our mornings watching a family of herons that have taken up residence in the trees thick canopy. They are in the process of building a nest for the summer, and you can often see one of the parents fluttering about with a few small twigs poking out of its comically long beak, as it awkwardly tries to weave them into the edges of its ever expanding home. But yesterday there were no herons, and the frigid choppy sea was overshadowed by a stream of almost black rain clouds coming in from the south, quickening their pace as they came into view, preempting the hefty gusts of wind which hadn’t quite made it to our deck yet. This type of weather has become all too routine this spring, and I must admit I didn’t even bat an eye when those black clouds brought side ways hail. Now, exactly twenty-four hours later as I sit here typing out the finishing touches, we have woken to an altogether different day. Sunshine! And no wind! We have a hill to our east so the sun always hits the waves of the Tasman Sea before it gets to us, and the calmness of the amber tinted water promises a warm, predictable day. However, if the variable weather of the last few months is anything to go by, I should make the most of this sun, because it might not last.

There is one area of the garden which brings bright spring joy no matter the weather, and that is the yellow and orange hued citrus zone. Last year the Tahitian lime was the star, with our one tree producing prolifically and providing us with buckets and buckets of tangy fruit. But this spring it is the Meyer lemons turn. It was planted around 7 years ago, so it is just beginning to come into it’s own, and this is the first year it has given us consistently large juicy fruit in abundance. So, if like us, your spring weather has been less than desirable, or if you are situated in the Northern Hemisphere and about to enter winter, you might appreciate a couple of lemon recipes to brighten things up a bit. I’m using them as a way to embrace the fact that spring IS actually here, in all it’s highly emotive glory.

Lemon & Lavender Syrup Cake

The first recipe is a quick and simple lemon and lavender syrup cake which also happens to be dairy-free. Every time I make it the kids ensure there is none left by the next day, and being a one bowl affair it is a stress-free recipe to have them helping along with in the kitchen. My youngest always enjoys poking the holes in the top for the syrup to drip through ~ for fun you can use spaghetti to do this! You can leave the lavender out if you don’t have it or are unsure about the flavour, but I promise you that lavender, lemon and sugar are a match made in heaven, and fresh lavender is very subtle and will impart just a hint of floral sweetness.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 1/3 + 1/8 cup rice bran (or other mild) oil

• 1/2 + 1/8 cup raw sugar

• 2 large free range eggs

• 1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

• zest from 1 lemon

• 1/2 cup ground almonds

• 2/3 cup white flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

For the syrup

• 1/2 cup raw sugar

• 1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2 large lemons)

• zest from 1 lemon

• Optional: 4 - 5 large, vibrant lavender blossoms see recipe notes at bottom

Method

Preheat oven to 180C and line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper.

Place the oil, sugar and eggs into a bowl and quickly beat together with a wooden spoon. Add the lemon juice and zest, and mix it in. Tip in the ground almonds, and sift in the flour and baking powder. Gently fold together until just mixed. Pour into your lined cake tin. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until just cooked ~ a skewer pushed into the centre should come out clean.

While the cake is baking, place the syrup ingredients into a small pan, stripping the lavender bracts from its center spike as you add it.

When the cake has almost finished baking ~ or has just come out of the oven ~ begin to gently heat the syrup ingredients, swirling the pan to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, bring the syrup to the boil and simmer for just 20-30 seconds. Immediately remove from the heat so it doesn’t overcook and become thick.

Remove the cake from the oven and poke lots of holes all over the top of it, using a skewer. Spoon the hot syrup and all the lavender pieces over the hot cake, allowing it to soak through.

Let the cake cool in the tin, and serve with dollops of Greek yoghurt or labneh.

Recipe notes

• If you are using lavender in the syrup, you have a couple of options. You could use it as is, breaking the fresh bracts off the stem. If you use it this way you will end up with slightly chewy sweet pieces of lavender on the cake top ~ which I always enjoy. If you prefer, you could partially dry the buds before using to release the oils, giving you a less chewy flower bract. To do this, place the lavender blossoms onto a small piece of baking paper on a tray and put them into the oven while it is preheating. Just have the oven on 100C while you do this. Keep an eye on them and take them out once they just begin to feel dry - this won’t take long at all, maybe 10 minutes. Set aside, and turn the oven up to 180C so you can preheat it for the cake.

• You can pour the syrup through a sieve if you don’t want the lemon zest and lavender pieces in it, but the lavender flavour will be much more pronounced if you leave it in, and personally I really like the chewy pieces of tangy sweetness on top.

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Smoky Lemon Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Preserved Lemons

This second recipe is a Middle Eastern inspired side dish, featuring a double dose of lemony goodness. Charred lemon halves and finely diced preserved lemons are mixed through smoked paprika cauliflower florets, that have been roasted and pimped with whole coriander and cumin seeds, as well as capers. We like to eat this with pita breads and a simple yoghurt and tahini sauce ~ if you are after some guidance I have a lovely recipe here.

The preserved lemon is optional ~ in fact I usually make it without as my eldest really doesn’t like their flavour! But if he isn’t home I put them in, as they cut through the rich cauliflower, adding another salty and exotic element to the dish.

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower (approximately 800 grams), broken into florets

• 1 large lemon, cut in half

• 1 - 2 heaped tablespoons capers

• 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

• 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds

• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

• 4 - 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt

• Cracked pepper

• Optional: 1 preserved lemon, insides removed and skin finely diced

Method

Preheat oven to 200C and line a large roasting tray with baking paper.

Spread the cauliflower florets out evenly on the oven tray and place the lemon halves cut side down. Sprinkle over the capers, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and paprika, then drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over. Top with sea salt and cracked black pepper, and mix together using your fingertips, so all the cauliflower is coated with the spices.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked through and there is a lovely char on the lemons. Turn the cauliflower a few times while it is cooking to ensure it roasts evenly on all sides.

Remove from the oven. Squeeze over the juice from the charred lemons, and stir through the preserved lemon if using.

Serve as a side dish with Lebanese Yoghurt & Tahini Sauce, as a part of a mezze platter, or as a filling for pita breads.

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Thanks for reading today :) Remember to check out my website for more seasonal recipes and gardening inspiration. If you enjoyed this newsletter, please feel free to share with a likeminded friend. And.. if you have any questions, or just want to say “hi”, please feel free to hit reply, or comment on the substack site, where others can also comment and reply. I would love to hear from you!