Reprinted with permission from CAKES To Die For! by Bev Shaffer
This cake has such bright flavors, and rosemary helps it cross over from a simply sweet cake to a treat that would go perfectly as a ladies’ luncheon “bread” or with barbecued ribs.
Cake:
- 2 cups unbleached, all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- 1/3 cup light olive oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
Lemon Glaze:
- ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Heat oven to 325° F. Grease a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, zest, and rosemary. Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the oil and sugar until well blended. With mixer on medium, add the eggs, one at a time, until mixture is a pale yellow. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
Alternately, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the sugar mixture, stirring just to blend. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake for 52 to 60 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
For the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice until mixture is smooth. Spread glaze atop warm cake.
Cool completely on a wire rack. When ready to serve, run a knife around the inside edge of the pan and carefully remove the cake. Serves 8 to 10.