Vanilla and Lemon Farm Cake

This non-yeasted, slightly sweet bread is great breakfast fare-somewhat of a cross between a bread, quick bread and a muffin. Combining lemon and vanilla is a great flavor partnership-featuring the slight tang of lemon along with the gentle notes of vanilla to round things out. Makes one large company cake or two smaller loaves. This cake ages well and can be toasted as it firms up, a couple of days later.

Ingredients

USMetric

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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3 cups all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
1/2 cup stoneground cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Zest of one lemon, finely minced OR 1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract
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1 cup of frozen blueberries

Directions

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9 inches springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease pan sides. Alternately, grease two 8.5 inches by 4 inches loaf pans. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, eggs, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Fold dry ingredients into batter, then gently fold in berries. Mix well but gently so as not to break up berries. Spoon into prepared pan(s). Bake until cake tests done, top will be lightly golden and slightly cracked. About 55 minutes for the large cake, 40-45 minutes for the loaves. Freezes well. Serve plain or, as cake ages, can be toasted and offered with butter.

12-16 servings.

Notes:

A Marcy Goldman BetterBaking.Com original recipe for Nielsen- Massey.

115 g (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
120 ml oil
2 eggs
300 g sugar
470 ml buttermilk
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
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380 g all-purpose flour, preferably unbleached
60 g stoneground cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Zest of one lemon, finely minced OR 1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Lemon Extract
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150 g of frozen blueberries

Directions

Preheat over to 180 degrees C. Line the bottom of a 23 cm springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease pan sides. Alternately, grease two 22 cm by 10 cm loaf pans. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, eggs, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Fold dry ingredients into batter, then gently fold in berries. Mix well but gently so as not to break up berries. Spoon into prepared pan(s). Bake until cake tests done, top will be lightly golden and slightly cracked. About 55 minutes for the large cake, 40-45 minutes for the loaves. Freezes well. Serve plain or, as cake ages, can be toasted and offered with butter.

12-16 servings.