Lemon Stinging Nettle Cake

4.89 from 35 votes

Lemon Stinging Nettle Cake sounds unusual, but it’s moist, citrusy, naturally green, and tastes like lemon cake with a subtle earthy flavour!

Prep Time15

Cook Time25

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 543kcal

Cost: $10

2 cups packed raw young nettle leaves (use the top 4-6 leaves - see tips for how to forage) (100g)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
zest and juice of ½ lemon
3 large eggs
¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature (200g)
¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
2 cups all-purpose (plain) flour (250g)
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 325°F / 170°C. Grease and line two 8” (20cm) round cake pans.
Using rubber gloves, carefully wash the stinging nettle leaves and remove any stems.
Place the stinging nettle leaves into a pan of boiling water and boil for 3 minutes. The sting will be removed with the boiling.
Rinse under cold water, drain and gently squeeze out excess moisture.
Add the stinging nettles to a blender (or with a stick blender) along with the lemon juice and 1 of the eggs. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the remaining eggs, one at a time, then beat in the pureed nettles and lemon zest. The mixture may ‘split’ slightly, but don’t worry, it will come together when the flour is added.
Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and stir to gently combine.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tins, push to the edges and level, then bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Cool for 10 minutes in the tins and then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.

In a large bowl, cream the butter until fluffy.
Add in the icing sugar and beat. Beat in the zest and a little of the lemon juice.
Add more lemon juice to make it a frosting consistency and beat again.

Spread a little of the buttercream between the layers of the completely cooled cakes and sandwich together. Cover the cake in the remaining buttercream and decorate with berries and lemon zest.

Often you can find nettles at farmer's markets to save you foraging your own.
If you forage your nettles, choose the top 4 sets of leaves (they're more tender) and be sure to use rubber gloves. Forage away from busy paths, roads and sources of pollution.
A stick immersion blender or standard blender work well for pureeing.
Ensure the nettles are pureed completely for the best solid green colour. If you can't puree it fully the cake will still be delicious, but the colour will be more flecks of green than solid green.