Lemon Yogurt Calendula Cake

the perfect springtime snacking cake

I don’t know what it is about lemons, but when I have them, I feel rich. I had always dreamed of having a mature lemon tree of my own, so when we bought our first home two years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to find a neglected Meyer lemon tree that could use some love.

Meyer lemons are on the sweeter side and have thinner skin, which makes them an all-around perfect lemon to have on hand.

Our neighbor, who grew up next door, told us he remembered it being a large old lemon tree, but at some point, someone hacked it back. The small tree we have now is what grew from the old tree and likely hadn’t been tended to for years.

It became my husband’s mission to revive this little tree. With weeding, mulching, consistent watering, and giving it lots of compost tea last year, we had our first healthy crop of golden lemons.

Nothing makes me happier than seeing a big wooden bowl filled to the brim with our lemons. While I’ve mostly been using them for savory recipes, I knew I needed to start making a few sweet treats to share our bounty with friends.

Snacking cakes are a great way to go. They’re not too sweet and you can grab a slice to enjoy with your coffee, afternoon tea, or for a post-dinner dessert.

I found this recipe from Ina Garten and made a few tweaks to it, including adding dried calendula petals. They give the cake a little something special, especially for those grey rainy spring days.

While this recipe doesn’t lend enough calendula to get the benefits, you can infuse calendula as a tea, in honey, salts, spice blends, and of course in topical herbal skincare.

Calendula, also called pot marigold, creates resinous yellow and orange flowers that hold an incredible vulnerary (wound healing) power that’s soothing to internal and external tissues.

It works to calm inflamed mucous membranes, making it a great tea for those dealing with hot, dry and depleted digestive systems with compromised gut tissues.