White Wine & Olive Oil Polenta Cake With Lavender Syrup

Because we live in a vineyard, our guests from out of town get a kick out of any recipe we prepare that has wine in it. This is an adaptation of an Italian Cake recipe that I inherited and it is lovely. Very moist and healty at the same time!

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Cake

• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 2  large eggs
• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup white wine (I used left over Chardonnay)
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup polenta
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  lemon, zest of, finely grated
• 1⁄2 teaspoon rosemary (fresh and finely chopped)

• Lavendar Syrup

• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons  lavender flowers (crushed-may use lemon zest instead if lavender not available)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare an 8” cake pan for baking by cutting a parchment circle for the bottom. Next spray the inside of the pan with cooking spray, add the circle and spray the top of the circle so that all parts that the cake will touch are covered with a thin layer of cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, 1 cup sugar, and wine until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, polenta, baking powder, salt, lemon zest and rosemary until well combined. Pour in the liquid mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the cake pan. Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
5. While the cake is cooking, make the lavender syrup. Heat the sugar and the water together in a small saucepan. Let this come to a low boil with a minimum of stirring and cook for about 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Set aside.
6. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; place a cake plate on the top of the cake pan. Holding both securely, turn both over at once so that the cake is now lying on the cake plate on your counter. Remove the pan and the parchment paper.
7. Take a toothpick and poke little holes all over the top of your cake. Slowly pour the syrup all over the top so that it seeps into the cake. Serve and enjoy!