The intoxicating scent of Italian lemons and fresh rosemary will fill your kitchen long before the first slice of this delicious cake is served. I’m going all out Italian this year – lucky enough to be travelling to Sicily in the summer and then over to Molise later in the year. So in anticipation of warmer days where I can wander through sun-drenched lemon groves, I managed to find these amazing Italian lemons and decided to bring a taste of Sicily into my kitchen with this yummy cake.

The combination of citrus with fresh rosemary creates a sophisticated yet rustic cake. I’ve kept the sugars lower in this recipe as there is plenty of sweetness from the lemon honey glaze. In total you’ll need about 3-4 lemons for this entire recipe. Since Italian lemons tend to be larger and juicier than standard lemons, 3 should be sufficient if they’re much larger, but it’s always good to have an extra on hand. 

These aromatic large Italian lemons paired with fresh rosemary create a cake with a vibrant lemony zing and subtle herbal notes. It’s absolutely delicious – the blend of sweet and aromatic flavours has left me dreaming of that Mediterranean sunshine! Roll on the summer…..

Ingredients

For the 8-inch Round Cake:

• 175g plain flour
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 125g caster sugar 
• 1½ tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 130ml plain Greek yogurt
• 100ml light olive oil
• Zest of 2 large Italian lemons
• 50ml fresh juice from Italian lemons
• ¾ tsp vanilla extract

For the Lemon Syrup:

• 50ml fresh Italian lemon juice
• 1½ tbsp honey or maple syrup
• 1 sprig rosemary

For the Lemon Glaze:

• 100g icing sugar
• 3 tbsp fresh Italian lemon juice
• Zest of 1 Italian lemon
• Fresh rosemary sprigs chopped and thin Italian lemon slices for garnish and I also added some edible viola flowers for decoration.

Instructions

Prep Work:

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas mark 4). Grease and line an 8-inch round cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Wash Italian lemons thoroughly before zesting, as their thicker skins may be treated.

Make the Batter:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a separate small bowl, rub Italian lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips (the higher oil content in Italian lemons will release beautiful aromatics).
3. Add finely chopped rosemary to the lemon sugar and mix well.
4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs until lightly beaten. Add yogurt, oil, Italian lemon juice, vanilla extract, and the lemon-rosemary sugar mixture. 
5. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Don’t overmix.

Bake:

1. Pour batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
2. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

Prepare the Syrup:

1. While the cake is baking, combine Italian lemon juice and honey in a small saucepan.
2. Add the rosemary sprig and heat gently until the honey or maple syrup dissolves.
3. Remove from heat and let steep while the cake bakes.
4. Remove the rosemary sprig before using.

Finish the Cake:

1. While the cake is still warm (but not hot), poke several small holes across the top with a skewer.
2. Brush or spoon the warm Italian lemon syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in.
3. Let the cake cool completely in the tin.

Glaze and Garnish:

1. Once completely cool, carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate.
2. Whisk together icing sugar and Italian lemon juice and zest until smooth to make the glaze. 
3. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, allowing it to spread toward the edges.
4. While the glaze is still wet, garnish with some chopped fresh rosemary and thin Italian lemon slices (and if you have any edible flowers pop them on for extra colour).
5. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before slicing.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.