Lemon Rosemary Cornmeal Cake

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare your pans – place cupcake liners in pans if making cupcakes or grease and place a parchment liner in an 8” round if making a whole cake. In a large bowl cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until well mixed and light in texture. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time mixing until incorporated. Add cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla bean paste, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and milk. Mix well, stopping the mixer and scraping down the bowl once and mixing again until all ingredients are fully combined. Mix on high speed for 3 minutes. Pour into prepared pan(s). If you are making mini muffins like in the picture, I find it easiest to put the batter into a large disposable piping bag (use the KeeSeal 21” ones for this) and pipe the batter into the little cupcake cups. Fill muffin cups about ⅔ full. Bake the mini cupcakes for about 12 minutes, the standard size cupcakes for about 20 minutes and the 8” pan for about 35 minutes. Check to make sure they are done by pressing the top – it should feel firm. You will see little holes in the top and it will start coming away from the side of the pan. Let cake cool in the pan. Run a knife around the side and turn the cake out. Flip the cake on the board or serving plate so that it is top side up. Yield: 50+ mini cupcakes, 24 standard cupcakes or 1 – 8”x2” tall cake.

While the cake is baking make the simple syrup. Put the sugar and water into a small saucepan. Simmer, stirring a bit until the sugar is all dissolved. Add the rosemary low simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Let all the ingredients steep for about 30 minutes and then strain. Brush simple syrup onto cake.

Cake can be made 1 day ahead, brush with syrup, cover with plastic and save at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature with a dollop of the fresh Chantilly cream.