Serves 8-10

Cake

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, warm room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 2/3 cup milk, room temperature
• Sweet Rosemary Syrup
• Bourbon Spiked Brown Sugar Cream

Accompaniments

• 4 cups raspberries, blueberries or blackberries

For cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. and generously butter and flour an 8″ x 2″ round cake pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes.

While butter and sugar are being beaten, combine flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl. Combine eggs, egg yolk, and milk in another bowl.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture, and mix until combined. Pour in milk and egg mixture, mixing till combined. Turn the mixer to high speed and beat the cake batter until pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven 40 minutes, or until a metal tester or toothpick comes out with a few crumbs adhering.

Cool the cake in pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto your hand and return, right side up, to the rack. While the cake is still warm, gradually brush 1/3 cup of warm syrup over the top, allowing the syrup to soak in before adding more. Serve cake, cut into wedges, with Bourbon Spiked Brown Sugar Cream, berries, and remaining rosemary syrup. Garnish with mint or a fresh rosemary sprig.

Note: Syrup-soaked cake may be made 1 day ahead and kept covered at room temperature. It will last up to three days, covered, at room temperature.

Sweet Rosemary Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 1-1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan simmer all syrup ingredients except vanilla 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool syrup 30 minutes and strain through a sieve into a container with a lid. Cover and refrigerate till ready to use.

NOTE: May be made a day ahead. Bring 6 tablespoons syrup to room temperature before brushing the top of the cake.

Bourbon Spiked Brown Sugar Cream

• 1/2 sour cream
• 1/4 cup firmly packed golden brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 cup chilled whipping cream

Mix sour cream, brown sugar, and bourbon together in the bowl of a stand mixer until brown sugar dissolves. Add whipping cream and beat lightly till mixture is combined and is the consistency of a very heavy, very thick cream.

Note: May be made several hours ahead.