Pea, spinach and lemon thyme cake

Put the kettle on and call me Popeye

I know what you’re thinking.

She’s finally gone loopy.

I don’t blame you. Spinach? Peas? In a cake?

Stay with me. I promise it works.

I’m not the first to venture here. There’s a precedent set by far more skilled bakers than me. Samuel Smith has several excellent pea dessert recipes in his book The Frozen Peas Cookbook (and I must credit him for the egg/flour/pea ratios in the recipe below). And in last week’s Guardian Feast , Helen Goh shared her implausibly handsome spinach cake. So if you won’t take my word for it, take theirs.

But it makes sense.

Just as carrots, courgettes and beetroot are used to add sweetness and moisture to cakes, peas bring similar sweetness. The spinach I’ll admit is a bit more of a stretch, but, as you’ll recall from last time when I showed you all the greens I am picking, I’ve got green galore and they need eating up.

And gluts are the mother of invention. Don’t you think?

Pea, spinach & thyme cake

Whilst fresh peas add to the seasonal romance of this recipe, frozen will bring more sweetness. And avoid hulking great spinach leaves, they’re too fibrous and the stalks get in the way. And of course, you can use regular thyme if that’s all you have. The lemon variety adds a subtle brightness, but it’s not a dealbreaker. This cake keeps, un-iced, for 3-4 days in a sealed container.

• 80g peas, shelled weight (or frozen)

• 120g baby spinach

• 200g full fat plain yogurt