Strawberry-Rhubarb Cornmeal Skillet Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 3 (5-inch) rosemary sprigs
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/4 ounces), sifted
• .5 cup fine yellow cornmeal (about 2 7/8 ounces)
• .5 teaspoon kosher salt
• .75 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (6 1/2 ouncse), at room temperature, divided
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1.5 ounce goat cheese (about 3 tablespoon), at room temperature
• .333 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup halved fresh strawberries
• .75 cup diagonally sliced fresh rhubarb (1/2-inch pieces) (from about 3 ounce rhubarb stalks)
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Steps

1. Combine heavy cream and vanilla bean paste in a small bowl. Rub rosemary sprigs between hands to release their oils, and add to bowl; stir mixture until combined. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours. Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard solids. Beat cream mixture with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 45 seconds. Cover rosemary whipped cream with plastic wrap; refrigerate until ready to use, up to 12 hours.
2. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in oven, and preheat oven to 350°F. Let skillet preheat about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt in a small bowl until combined; set aside. Place 3/4 cup butter in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on high speed, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating on high speed and stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer running on low speed, crumble in goat cheese; beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined, about 1 minute. Add buttermilk and vanilla bean paste, beating until just combined, about 1 minute.
4. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven, and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Swirl skillet until butter is melted. Carefully pour in cake batter; smooth top if needed. Arrange strawberries and rhubarb in an even layer on batter; sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
5. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool slightly on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Serve cake warm with a dollop of rosemary whipped cream.