Hannah’s Nettle, Lemon & Elderflower Cake

Name: Hannah’s Nettle, Lemon & Elderflower Cake
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: Edible wild flowers, wild blackberries or a string of redcurrants would really pop; Finely grated zest of the (leftover) ½ lemon; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; Edible wild flowers, wild blackberries or a string of redcurrants would really pop; Edible wild flowers, wild blackberries or a string of redcurrants would really pop; 2–3 tablespoons elderflower cordial; 80 ml/2¾ fl oz/⅓ cup plant-based milk of choice; 2 tablespoons elderflower cordial; 1 tablespoon rose water; 60–80 g/2¼–3 oz fresh young nettle tops; Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon (save the other half for the decoration); 160 ml/5½ fl oz/⅔ cup plant-based milk or water; 160 ml/5½ fl oz/⅔ cup plant-based milk or water; 100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 275 g/9¾ oz/2 cups self-raising/self-rising flour; 275 g/9¾ oz/2 cups self-raising/self-rising flour; 1 tablespoon elderflower cordial; 120 g/4¼ oz/1 cup raw cashews; Pinch of sea salt; ½–1 teaspoon ground ginger (optional); 200 g/7 oz/1 cup cane sugar

Preparation info

Makes:
1
loaf cake

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
20 min

Appears in

We Cook Plants

By Sarah Bentley

Published 2025

About

“This is my most popular cake recipe. I’m a complete nettle head so I love it. A friend even asked me to make it for their wedding cake. I did a whole presentation about the nutritional properties of nettles at a festival called ‘Nettle Fest’. There was no shortage of things for me to discuss! Nettles are a true British superfood (see Nutrition Nugget) – and I encourage everyone to add them to their diet. And what better way to get started than with a delicious cake? The cake tastes best ea

Ingredients

Cake
Vegan
Wedding/Marriage

Ingredients

Method