LEMON ALMOND CAKE WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE

Steps:

• For the lemon almond cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, almond meal, poppy seeds, baking powder, salt, baking soda and zest in a medium bowl. Whisk together the yogurt and lemon juice in a separate small bowl until very smooth. Whisk together the granulated sugar and olive oil in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs to the olive oil mixture, one at a time, whisking very well after each, then stir in the almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and yogurt mixture to the olive oil mixture in three alternating additions, whisking after each until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the cranberry glaze: Combine the cranberries with 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan and heat over low heat until the cranberries start to break down and release their juices (you can help this process along by smashing them with a rubber spatula), 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the cranberries and their juices into a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl. Press the mixture through the sieve with a spatula, making sure to scrape off the bottom of the sieve and adding that to the bowl as well. Add the powdered sugar and salt to the bowl and mix until it comes together into a spreadable glaze. (It will seem like a lot of sugar at first but it will eventually incorporate.) If the glaze is too thick, add a couple drops of water until it's thin enough to spread. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.
• To decorate: Spread the glaze over the top of the cake, then sprinkle with sliced almonds, rose petals, fresh thyme leaves, sliced cranberries and sprinkles.