Ingredients - for the cake

1. ½ pound (2 sticks) butter
2. 3 cups sugar
3. 1 cup Crème Fraiche
4. ½ teaspoon baking soda
5. 3 cups all-purpose flour
6. 6 large eggs
7. 1 teaspoon vanilla
8. 1 teaspoon lemon extract
9. 2 tablespoon fresh thyme
10. 2 tablespoon lemon zest

For the Lemon Crème Fraiche:

1 cup Crème Fraiche
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon super fine sugar, (gently process white, granulated sugar in a food processor)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the crème fraiche and mix well to combine. In alternating batches, add the sifted flour and baking soda and the eggs, beginning and ending with the flour and mixing thoroughly to combine. Fold in the vanilla, lemon extract and the fresh thyme and then pour the mixture into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

While the cake bakes, prepare the lemon crème fraiche by whisking together the crème fraiche, lemon zest and sugar. Let sit and allow the flavors to meld. To serve: top a slice of cake with a dollop of the lemon crème fraiche.