How to Bake
Gluten-Free Lemon Rosemary Tea Cakes
Estimated bake & assembly time: 2 hours
Makes: 12 tea cakes
Best eaten within 3 days
Refrigeration needed
When life gives you lemons... bake a cake!
What’s in the box?
Rosemary
Sugar
Custard Sugar
Rosemary Sugar
Gluten-Free Flour
Powdered Sugar
2 1/2” Cake Cutter
Ingredients you’ll need:
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream or Vegan Substitute
1/4 cup Water
4 Lemons
6 Whole Eggs or 6 tbsp Flax Meal + 1 Cup Water
3 Egg Yolks or 1 tsp corn starch + 1/2 cup Vegan Milk
2 tbsp butter or Vegan Substitute
1 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Milk or Vegan Substitute
Equipment you’ll need:
Mixing Bowls
Sauce Pan & Fry Pan
Measuring Cups
Electric Mixer
Serrated Knife
Juicer (optional)
Zester
Sieve or Fine Mesh Strainer
Parchment Paper
Cling Wrap
13x18 Half Sheet Pan
Tips & Tricks
Make it Vegan!
1
Since I know that eggs have gotten extremely expensive, I’ve tested a vegan option for these delicious cakes that I’ve shared with you just incase you don’t have access to eggs, or they are currently out of your price range. See the recipe instructions for the vegan option!
Candied Lemons
2
When making the candied lemons, don’t look away for too long. The sugar is easy to burn, so keep an eye on these! The lemon slices are done once they are pliable.
Lemon Curd
3
While cooking the lemon curd, there is a chance that your eggs will start to scramble. This most likely means you have your heat on too high. Don’t fret though! You can save it by straining the curd through a mesh sieve when putting it in a new dish. To avoid this from happening, stir constantly and use low heat!
If your curd isn’t thickening, try turning the heat up a little bit but use caution. Patience is your best friend while baking! The curd is done when you run your spoon or spatula through it and it does not reincorporate right away. It should be a thick consistency
Cake
4
When adding the olive oil to the cake, you do it slowly while the mixer is still running. This is called making an emulsion, and it takes time for the fat in the oil to evenly distribute.
If you don’t have a 13x18 sheet pan, you can use 9x13 cake pan. Add 10-15 minutes to the bake time, then during the assembly process, you’ll cut out 12 cake rounds and then slice them in half like a hamburger bun to make 24.
Decorating
5
You can add as many fresh berries or fresh rosemary sprigs as your heart desires. These cakes pair wonderfully with some coffee or tea!
Extras
6
After making these delicious tea cakes, you’ll have all of those cake scraps left over to make cake pops, a trifle, bread pudding, ice cream mix-ins, and more. You can freeze the cake scraps for up to 3 months.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Infuse Heavy Cream
1
Rosemary
1 Cup Heavy Cream
Place heavy cream in a sauce pan. Gently warm over low heat until a soft boil. Once hot, place rosemary into cream and steep. Let cool in a separate container, then cover tightly with cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to 24 hours - keeping rosemary in cream.
Candy Lemon slices
2
Sugar
1/4 cup water
Using a serrated knife, thinly cut 6 slices from 1 lemon. Cut those 6 slices into crescents, making 12 lemon slices. Add sugar and 1/4 cup water into a small fry pan. Over low heat, let sugar dissolve - stirring occasionally. Once dissolved, add lemon slices - making sure not to overlap. Let lemon slices boil, flipping them after 5-7 minutes. Take out of pan and place on parchment paper to dry.
Make Lemon Curd
3
Custard Sugar
3 egg yolks, juice & zest of 1 lemon
Vegan Version: 1 1/3 TSP Corn Starch, 1/2 Cup Non-Dairy Milk, 1/2 TSP Turmeric Powder (optional)
In a sauce pan add 3 egg yolks, the juice and zest of 1 lemon, and sugar. Stir frequently over low heat until curd becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. You’ll know it’s ready when you run your spoon or spatula through it and does not reincorporate right away. It should be a thick consistency. When done, put it in separate dish and mix in 2 tbsp butter. Set aside to cool. Can be refrigerated until use.
Vegan Version: Add corn starch to the custard sugar, and mix well. Then add the juice and zest of 1 lemon, milk, and turmeric if using. Stir consistently over low heat until curd becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take about 10 minutes, but could be quicker on a gas stove. You’ll know it’s ready when you run your spoon or spatula through it and does not reincorporate right away. It should be a thick consistency. When done, mix in 2 tbsp butter and put it in separate dish. Set aside to cool. Can be refrigerated until use.
Bake Cake
4
Rosemary Sugar
6 eggs, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup milk
Gluten-Free Flour
Vegan Version: 6 tbsp flax meal, 1 cup water
Flax Eggs: Mix flax meal and water and let stand for 5-10 minutes until it’s a gel-like consistency.
Preheat the oven to 350°. With an electric mixer, mix rosemary sugar , eggs (or flax eggs), lemon juice and zest on high until light and fluffy. While still mixing, slowly pour in the olive oil. Add in the milk, juice of 1 lemon, and gluten-free flour. Mix until well combined. Pour batter into parchment lined sheet pan and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Once baked, cool until room temp.
Make Whipped Cream & Assemble Tea Cakes
5
Powdered Sugar
Chill your mixing bowl for 10 minutes. While the bowl is chilling, remove the rosemary from the cream. Add cream and powdered sugar into the chilled mixing bowl. Whip on high until stiff peaks form. Use the 2 1/2’ cutter to cut 24 circles out of the sheet cake. On 12 cake circles, first layer cream. Add a dollop of curd in the center, then place a cake circle on top. Top with another layer of cream, a dollop of curd, and candied lemons. You can add your choice of fresh berries and enjoy!
