From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We've been invited to a large barbecue this coming weekend. It's what I call a planned potluck. Everyone is assigned a task and is responsible for part of the meal. By luck or lot, I'm the dessert lady for the day. Because berries are still available here, I'll be making several of the lemon cake I'm featuring tonight, as well as unusual shortcakes that are made with cornmeal. Both will serve as the base for macerated berries. If time permits, I'll also be making peanut bars for those who do not want a fruit dessert. I found the recipe for this unusual poppy seed cake in The New York Times. It caught my eye because it's made with olive oil rather than butter, and I was curious to see how the cake would taste. I'm really pleased with the results. The recipe makes a moist cake with an intensely lemon flavor that is enhanced by the olive oil. It is a snap to make and takes about 15 minutes to prepare, so it is perfect for my purposes. The Silver Fox has given it his approval, so tomorrow I'll make the three others I'll need for the weekend. I do hope you'll try this cake. You will not be disappointed. Here is how it's made.
