Cornmeal Rosemary Cake With Lemon Fondant Food

CORNMEAL AND ROSEMARY CAKE WITH BALSAMIC SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the cake: Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, cake flour, minced rosemary, baking powder, and salt.
• Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, on low speed beat the butter and vanilla together until combined. Slowly add the powdered sugar. Once the sugar is incorporated increase the speed to high and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce the speed to medium and add the sour cream. On low speed add the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Bake in the lower third of the oven until the cake is golden and pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool. Transfer the cake from the pan to a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar.
• For the Balsamic Syrup: Place the sugar, balsamic vinegar, and rosemary in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprig and let the syrup cool.
• To serve, place a slice of cake on a serving plate; spoon some syrup around the plate.

LEMON ROSEMARY POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Grease bottom and sides of 9x5-inch loaf pan with shortening; lightly flour.
• In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, butter, rosemary, lemon peel, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Reduce speed to low; add flour alternately with whipping cream, beating just until smooth after each addition. Pour into pan.
• Bake 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

LEMON-ROSEMARY LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Beat in the lemon juice, zest and rosemary., Transfer to three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until edges begin to brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and juice; beat until smooth., Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.

LEMON CORNMEAL CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine milk and lemon juice in a bowl; let stand until thickened, about 5 minutes. Pulse almonds, cane sugar, and zest in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add oil, eggs, and almond extract to milk mixture, and whisk until combined. Stir into cornmeal mixture.
• Brush a 9-inch springform pan with oil. Pour batter into pan. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until cake is golden and a tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Unmold and dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving. (Cake can be kept, covered, at room temperature up to 2 days.)

CORNMEAL ROSEMARY CAKE WITH LEMON FONDANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line it with a circle of parchment paper, and butter the paper.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, rosemary, zest, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, briefly whisk the mascarpone to loosen it.
• Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to combine.
• Add the sugar and whisk until smooth.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the wet ingredients, mixing until smooth.
• Stir in the butter.
• Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake until a skewer comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup.
• Combine the lemon juice and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove from the heat.
• Allow the cake pan to cool on a rack for 5 minutes before unmolding.
• To unmold, run a small knife around the cake.
• Place an inverted plate over the cake pan and, protecting your hands with a kitchen towel, invert the whole thing.
• The cake should slide right out onto the plate.
• Peel off the parchment paper, then place a 9-inch cardboard circle or an inverted plate over the cake and, again, invert the whole thing.
• Remove the top plate and the cake will be right side up.
• With a wooden skewer, poke a few dozen holes all over the top of the cake.
• While the cake is still warm, brush the cake with the lemon syrup.
• Continue brushing for several minutes, giving the syrup time to sink into the cake, until you've used all or most of the syrup.
• Allow the cake to cool.
• To make the lemon fondant, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.
• Add the rosemary leaves and blanch them for one minute.
• Scoop out the rosemary leaves with a small sieve and drop them immediately into a small bowl of ice water.
• Drain, and spread the rosemary leaves on a paper towel to dry.
• In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cream, and lemon juice until smooth, then whisk in the blanched rosemary and the zest.
• When the cake is completely cool, transfer it to a rack set over a baking sheet.
• (If your cake is not on a cardboard circle, use a wide spatula to transfer it.) Pour the fondant over the top of the cake and allow it to drip off the sides.
• You can gently tilt the cardboard circle or the wire rack back and forth to encourage the glaze to completely flow over the top of the cake.
• While the glaze is still wet, transfer the cake to a cake plate.
• Allow the fondant to dry, an hour or more, before serving the cake.
• (If you allow the glaze to dry before you transfer it, the glaze may crack a bit, unless you are transferring it on a cardboard circle.) Because this cake is quite moist, you can make it one day ahead.
• After the cake is brushed with the syrup, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and leave it at room temperature.
• A few hours before you're ready to serve the cake, make the fondant and glaze the cake.

ROSEMARY OLIVE OIL CAKE WITH LEMON BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 300˚ F. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Combine the sugar, 2 1/3 cups flour, the baking powder, salt and 2 egg yolks in a large bowl; beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until well mixed. Stream in 1 cup olive oil and mix about 30 seconds. Beat in the 3 whole eggs, one at a time. Stream in the milk and vanilla and mix until combined.
• In a separate bowl, combine the chopped rosemary, remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and 3 teaspoons flour. Fold the rosemary mixture into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the cake pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pans.
• Make the lemon curd: In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup sugar, the egg yolk, lemon zest and juice, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon butter. Stir continuously with a rubber spatula until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Transfer the lemon curd to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate to cool.
• Make the buttercream: Set up a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. In a medium saucepan, heat the egg whites and remaining 1 cup sugar over medium heat until the mixture reaches 160˚ F and the sugar is dissolved. (You should not be able to feel any sugar granules and the mixture should be very warm, not hot, to the touch.)
• Pour the egg white mixture into the mixer bowl and whisk on medium-high speed until the meringue is three times its volume, holds firm peaks and has cooled to about 95˚ F, about 4 minutes. Beat in the remaining 4 sticks butter slowly, piece by piece, until smooth and blended. Beat in the salt and vanilla.
• Remove the lemon curd from the refrigerator and fold it into the buttercream until well combined.
• Assemble the cake: Transfer 1 cake layer to a cake plate. Spread some of the buttercream on top using an offset spatula. Top with the other cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with a thin layer of buttercream (this is the crumb coat); refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes. Cover with the remaining buttercream.

LEMON (OR LIME) CORNMEAL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F
• Spray cooking spray into a 12 cup Bundt pan.
• Mix together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, set aside.
• In medium bowl, beat butter, sugar, lemon zest and juice with mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, until well-blended.
• With mixer on low, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk until the batter is smooth.
• Scrape into the prepared Bundt pan; level the top with a spatula.
• Bake 55-65 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
• Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk glaze ingredients in a small bowl (sugar may not be dissolved all the way).
• Invert cake from pan to plate.
• Brush glaze all over hot cake (sugar crystals will be evident).
• Let cake rest several hours before serving.
• Store cake at room temperature up to 4 days.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with blueberry or strawberry preserves.
• Enjoy!

LEMON CORNMEAL CAKE WITH RASPBERRY FILLING

Steps:

• For filling:
• Puree berries in processor. Strain into heavy medium saucepan. Add sugar and cornstarch. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 3 minutes. Cool. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment. Dust pan with flour; shake out excess. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Stir in cornmeal. Add to butter mixture and beat just until blended. Mix in lemon peel and extract.
• Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until cake is golden and toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Transfer cake to rack, cool. Using knife, cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out. Peel off parchment.
• For frosting:
• Beat cream, sugar and extract in large bowl until soft peaks form. Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel. Set aside 2/3 cup frosting for decoration.
• Using serrated knife, cut cake horizontally into 3 layers. Using bottom of 9-inch-diameter tart pan as aid, transfer 1 layer to platter. Spread half of filling over. Spread 1 cup frosting over filling. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining filling over. Spread 1 cup frosting over filling. Top with third cake layer. Spread sides and top of cake with remaining frosting. Press nuts onto sides of cake. Spoon reserved 2/3 cup frosting into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe around top edge of cake. Sprinkle top of cake with 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

CORNMEAL CAKE WITH SWEET ROSEMARY SYRUP AND BLACKBERRIES

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. and butter and flour an 8- by 2-inch round cake pan.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add remaining cake ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Beat batter on high speed until pale yellow, about 3 minutes.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until a tester comes out with a few crumbs adhering.
• Make Rosemary Syrup while cake is baking.
• Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto hand and return, right side up, to rack. While cake is still warm, gradually brush 1/3 cup syrup over it, allowing syrup to soak in before adding more. Chill remaining syrup in a small pitcher, covered. Syrup-soaked cake may be made 1 day ahead and kept wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature.
• Serve cake, cut into wedges, with whipped cream, blackberries, and remaining rosemary syrup.