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1
Preheat the oven to 350u00b0F.
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Butter a 9-inch cake pan, line it with a circle of parchment paper, and butter the paper.
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3
In a bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, rosemary, zest, baking powder, and salt.
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4
In a large bowl, briefly whisk the mascarpone to loosen it.
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5
Add the eggs one at a time, whisking to combine.
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Add the sugar and whisk until smooth.
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Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients, in two batches, into the wet ingredients, mixing until smooth.
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Stir in the butter.
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9
Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake until a skewer comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
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10
While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup.
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11
Combine the lemon juice and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
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12
Remove from the heat.
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13
Allow the cake pan to cool on a rack for 5 minutes before unmolding.
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14
To unmold, run a small knife around the cake.
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Place an inverted plate over the cake pan and, protecting your hands with a kitchen towel, invert the whole thing.
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The cake should slide right out onto the plate.
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Peel off the parchment paper, then place a 9-inch cardboard circle or an inverted plate over the cake and, again, invert the whole thing.
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Remove the top plate and the cake will be right side up.
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19
With a wooden skewer, poke a few dozen holes all over the top of the cake.
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20
While the cake is still warm, brush the cake with the lemon syrup.
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Continue brushing for several minutes, giving the syrup time to sink into the cake, until you've used all or most of the syrup.
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Allow the cake to cool.
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23
To make the lemon fondant, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.
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Add the rosemary leaves and blanch them for one minute.
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Scoop out the rosemary leaves with a small sieve and drop them immediately into a small bowl of ice water.
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Drain, and spread the rosemary leaves on a paper towel to dry.
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27
In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cream, and lemon juice until smooth, then whisk in the blanched rosemary and the zest.
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When the cake is completely cool, transfer it to a rack set over a baking sheet.
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(If your cake is not on a cardboard circle, use a wide spatula to transfer it.) Pour the fondant over the top of the cake and allow it to drip off the sides.
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30
You can gently tilt the cardboard circle or the wire rack back and forth to encourage the glaze to completely flow over the top of the cake.
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31
While the glaze is still wet, transfer the cake to a cake plate.
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32
Allow the fondant to dry, an hour or more, before serving the cake.
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33
(If you allow the glaze to dry before you transfer it, the glaze may crack a bit, unless you are transferring it on a cardboard circle.) Because this cake is quite moist, you can make it one day ahead.
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34
After the cake is brushed with the syrup, allow it to cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and leave it at room temperature.
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35
A few hours before you're ready to serve the cake, make the fondant and glaze the cake.
