Lemon Rosemary Cornmeal Cake with Balsamic Syrup

I have such a special treat to share with you today – lemon rosemary cornmeal cake with balsamic syrup! I know cornmeal isn’t often used in dessert recipes, but believe me – it is sooooo darn delicious! It gives this cake a perfect texture. Fluffy, moist, and full of lemon flavor! I wish baking with cornmeal was more common, and I have a feeling this won’t be the last cornmeal dessert recipe you see on the blog! Hint, hint!

I love the addition of rosemary in this recipe too. Rosemary has such a woody and almost citrusy flavor, and pairs so well with the clean and bright taste of lemon. The rosemary is subtle; if you absolutely love it, add some more! I like to use between 3-4 tablespoons for a stronger taste.

And let’s not forget the balsamic syrup! I first tasted balsamic vinegar as a dessert when I visited Italy with my aunt. They served it over fresh strawberries, and we both were instantly obsessed. You’ll be surprised tasting it – it’s all sweet, and the acidity cooks straight out. So. Darn. Delicious. Have some extra? Try it over vanilla ice cream and sliced strawberries!

Special Ingredients In Lemon Rosemary Cornmeal Cake:

  • Fine Cornmeal: I absolutely love the texture cornmeal gives this cake! You’ll find this in the baking aisle of pretty much any grocery store. I usually use Bob’s Red Mill!
  • Cake Flour: Cake flour is a finer and lighter flour than all-purpose flour, and gives this cake a fluffy and more delicate texture. You will find cake flour by all purpose flour in the baking aisle. If you need a substitute, start with one cup of all-purpose flour. Remove two tablespoons, and then add two tablespoons cornstarch. Then measure out the 3/4 cup needed for this recipe from there.
  • Fresh Rosemary: A delicious flavor addition, don’t skip it! Rosemary is used in both sweet and savory dishes, and compliments the bright lemon and rich balsamic perfectly.
  • Buttermilk: I’m a huge fan of buttermilk in baking. It makes for such a moist cake, and I highly recommend it! It’s not always available internationally, and whole milk should work just fine as a replacement. If you’re in the US grab some buttermilk!

Tools Used In This Recipe:

  • Herb Mezzaluna Chopper: This is such a handy tool! It’s perfectly designed for chopping herbs, and is great for chopping the rosemary in this recipe. Did you know that when you see green color on your chopping board after chopping herbs, all that flavor is left on the board? Using a special tool like this will keep the flavor in your food! Not on a chopping board where nobody will enjoy it!
  • Mixing Bowl Set: I love this mixing bowl set, because there’s a perfect bowl size for every task. No more using bowls that are too big and take up more room in the dishwasher!
  • Hand Mixer: I’ve owned this 9-speed hand mixer for over 10 years, and it’s safe to say I’m obsessed! I recommend it to all my friends and actually bought one for my mom too! I love it for everything from making whipped cream to making cakes like this one!

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Lemon Rosemary Cornmeal Cake with Balsamic Syrup

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  • Author: Kirsten Bell
  • Prep Time: 20 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 Minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 Slices 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking

Description

An easy and delicious summertime dessert recipe! Topped with delicious balsamic glaze, this is a special dessert that will leave your taste buds singing!


Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

3/4 cups cake flour

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves (about 2 sprigs)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

For the Balsamic Syrup:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar


Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350, move an oven rack to the bottom third of the oven. Grease an 8″ cake pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, and set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, cake flour, rosemary leaves, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy with a hand mixer. (Or use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Add the vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk. Mix until all combined, and then mix in the lemon juice and zest. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix on low speed until no streaks of flour remain, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake on the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely.

For the balsamic syrup: Combine the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is thickened – about 10 minutes. Allow to cool, and drizzle over each slice of cake just before serving. The syrup can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge – bring to room temp before using.


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