Vanilla-Scented Cornmeal Cake with Olive Oil Buttercream

Directions

Make cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch cake pan with 3-inch-high sides or a 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch-high sides with cooking spray. Line bottom with a parchment paper round; spray parchment with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, occasionally stopping to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl. On medium speed, beat in eggs one at a time just to blend, stopping to scrape down bottom and sides of bowl between additions. Beat in vanilla.

Using medium-low speed, beat in dry ingredients in 3 additions alternately

 with sour cream in 2 additions, stopping to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl halfway through. When final addition of dry ingredients is almost all mixed in, finish mixing by folding with a spatula. Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until lightly golden brown and set in center, and cake springs back when pressed gently in center with fingertip, about 50 minutes.

Meanwhile, make vanilla syrup (optional)

In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in vanilla bean paste and let cool.

Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove pan sides and transfer cake to a wire rack. If using vanilla syrup, brush syrup all over top and sides of cake while it is still warm, then let cool completely. Otherwise, let cake cool completely on rack.