Candied-Fennel-Topped Lemon Cake |
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Prep Time: 25 Minutes Cook Time: 110 Minutes |
Ready In: 135 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Here comes the sun: Topped with graceful fans of candied fennel and bathed in a golden syrup, this lemony upside-down cake is a cheery sight. The fennel's subtle sweetness and beautiful form are quite sophisticated, but the cake's buttermilk crumb is pure homey delight. A cloud of whipped cream makes a fitting accompaniment. Ingredients:
1 small fennel bulb |
3/4 cup sugar |
3/4 cup water |
3 (3-inch) strips lemon zest, thinly sliced |
1 teaspoon fennel seeds |
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour |
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder |
1 teaspoon baking soda |
1/2 teaspoon salt |
1 stick unsalted butter, softened |
3/4 cup sugar |
2 large eggs |
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest |
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk |
accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream |
Directions:
1. Prepare cake pan: Lightly oil pan and line bottom and side with a large round of wax paper, pleating sides and trimming to fit. Lightly oil paper. Line side with a 2-inch-wide strip of wax paper long enough to wrap around inside of pan to cover pleats, then lightly oil.
2. Make candied fennel: Cut fennel bulb lengthwise with slicer into enough 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 9) to cover bottom of cake pan.
3. Cover fennel with cold water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Drain fennel and set aside. Add sugar, water (3/4 cup), zest, and fennel seeds to saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add fennel slices and very gently simmer until tender and translucent and liquid is syrupy, about 40 minutes. Lift fennel slices out with a fork and arrange decoratively in bottom of cake pan. If you have more than 1/3 cup syrup, boil to reduce; if less, add water. Cool syrup slightly, then pour (through a fine-mesh sieve if desired) over fennel.
4. Make cake: Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in zest.
6. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing until just combined. Gently spoon batter over topping, spreading evenly.
7. Bake until cake is golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate and continue to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.
8. Cooks' note: Cake is best the day it is made but keeps, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature 3 days.
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