Ingredients:
Softened butter or baker’s spray, for the pan
1 1/2 cups(204g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoonsbaking powder
1/4 teaspoonfine sea salt
1 cup(200g) sugar
1 or 2 teaspoonsfinely chopped thyme
1 lemon
1/2 cup(120ml) plain yogurt, at room temperature
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup(120ml) oil, such as canola or olive oil
1 cup(150g) blueberries
Lightly sweetened crème fraîche, for serving (optional)
Directions:
Get prepped: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Generously butter the inside of an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch (21 by 11cm) loaf pan (or coat it with baker’s spray). If your pan is 1/2 inch/1.3cm bigger all around, that’s okay—check the cake a little earlier as it might bake faster.
Mix dry, mix wet: In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. To a medium bowl, add the sugar and thyme and finely grate the zest of the lemon over it with a Microplane (save the naked lemon in the fridge for salads and use within a few days, before it dries out). Working with your fingertips, rub the ingredients together until the sugar is moist and aromatic.
Whisk in the yogurt until it’s thoroughly incorporated, and then add the eggs one at a time, blending each egg into the batter before you add the next. When all the eggs are in, give the mixture a few energetic beats to bring it all together.
Mix dry into wet: Switch to a silicone spatula and stir in half of the flour mixture. When it’s well incorporated, add the remaining flour and stir until blended. Add the oil to the bowl gradually, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides until you have a thick, smooth batter with a light sheen. Drop the berries into the batter and stir to mix them in evenly. Scrape the batter into the buttered pan, smoothing the top.
Bake the cake: Bake the cake in the center of the oven until the cake is golden brown and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick or long, dry noodle inserted deep into the center of the cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging, 55 to 60 minutes. With oven mitts, take the cake out of the oven and set on a wire rack or cool stove burner. Wait 5 minutes, then run a table knife between the cake and the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Carefully invert the pan onto the rack, then flip the cake so it’s right-side up and finish cooling to room temperature. Serve with lightly sweetened crème fraîche, or nothing at all.
Make ahead and store: The cake keeps best well-sealed at room temperature; it will be good for at least 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month—defrost, still sealed, at room temperature.