Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

This delightful lemon cornmeal cake is fantastic on its own, but even better when drizzled with a homemade strawberry rhubarb sauce.

While running errands today, I received a phone call from my 5-year old. "Do we have everything for that rhubarb cake you wanted to make? Where's the recipe?" Hmm, this call was clearly prompted by my husband, whose eyes light up like Tina Fey's after the Sarah Palin/Katie Couric interview whenever rhubarb is mentioned.

Last year, I made Spiced Rhubarb Chutney (& Pork Tenderloin) to rave reviews. This year, it was time to turn my attention to desserts, though I am not quite ready to make the leap into the rhubarb pie arena. I previously chronicled my paralyzing fear of pie crusts and I am still nursing my phobia.

When I saw this cornmeal cake recipe in Giada De Laurentiis' book, Giada's Kitchen, the creaky wheels that I like to call my brain started to turn.

Giada serves this cake with a dark, rich balsamic syrup which is bound to be fantastic. However, with several beautiful stalks of rhubarb sitting on my counter, it was time to make some changes. Aside from adding some lemon zest to the cake, I did not alter this part of the recipe. The fragrance of lemon and rosemary soon wafted from my oven and the aroma spoke of spring.

For the sauce, tart rhubarb was simmered with a simple syrup and fragrant, ruby red strawberries, and pureed briefly in the blender to make a fruity sauce that gently seeped into the dense, golden brown cake. We were so taken with the sauce that we spooned it over our pork tenderloin at dinnertime.

How to make lemon cornmeal cake:

The cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with the rack set in the lower third of the oven.

In medium bowl, combine ½ cup fine yellow cornmeal, ½ cup cake flour, 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Cake flour can be found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores and is sold in a box.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), beat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, and ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract until combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar until the butter and sugar are combined.

Turn the mixer to high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add 4 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs, beating well after each addition.

Turn the mixer to medium speed and add ½ cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest.

Turn the mixer to low and gradually spoon in the flour and cornmeal mixture. Beat until just combined.

Butter an 8-inch cake pan. Spoon in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and turn the cake pan to coat it with the flour. Turn the pan upside down and tap out any excess flour.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Top the pan sharply on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Place the pan into the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and the sides of the cake are pulling away from the edge of the pan, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a rack to cool.

Gently remove the cake from the and place it on a serving platter. Using a fine mesh sieve, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

The sauce:

While the cake is baking, make the sauce. Trim ¾ pound rhubarb stalks and cut into ¼-inch slices to total about 2 cups.

In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ cup water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the sliced rhubarb and ½ sprig of fresh rosemary, and return the mixture to a simmer.

Cook until the rhubarb is very tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries and simmer for 2 additional minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture in a blender and puree very briefly. The mixture should be mostly smoothly, with some small chunks still present.

Slice the cake into wedges and top each slice with a generous amount of the warm rhubarb sauce. Serve.

Cornmeal, Rosemary & Lemon Cake with Rhubarb & Strawberry Sauce
Cake (minorly) adapted from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada De Laurentiis

Cake:
½ cup fine yellow cornmeal
½ cup cake flour
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
4 egg yolks
2 large eggs
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Butter and all-purpose flour for pan

Sauce:
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
¾ lb. rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into ¼-inch pieces (totaling about 2 cups)
½ spring fresh rosemary
1 cup sliced strawberries

Cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, with the rack set in the lower third of the oven.

In medium bowl, combine cornmeal, cake flour, minced rosemary leaves, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), beat butter, softened, and vanilla extract until combined.
Turn the mixer on low, slowly add powdered sugar until the butter and sugar are combined. Turn the mixer to high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks and whole eggs, beating well after each addition. Turn the mixer to medium speed and add sour cream and grated lemon zest. With the mixer set on low, gradually spoon in the flour and cornmeal mixture. Beat until just combined.

Butter an 8-inch cake pan. Spoon in about 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and turn the cake pan to coat it with the flour. Turn the pan upside down and tap out any excess flour.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Top the pan sharply on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Place the pan into the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and the sides of the cake are pulling away from the edge of the pan, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a rack to cool. Once cooled, gently remove the cake from the and place it on a serving platter. Using a fine mesh sieve, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

Sauce:
While the cake is baking, make the sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves completely. Add the sliced rhubarb and rosemary sprig, and return the mixture to a simmer. Cook until the rhubarb is very tender, about 5 minutes. Add sliced strawberries and simmer for 2 additional minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Pour the mixture in a blender and puree very briefly. The mixture should be mostly smoothly, with some small chunks still present.

Slice the cake into wedges and top each slice with a generous amount of the warm rhubarb sauce. Serve.

Makes 6 servings.

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