May Wreath Cake
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 lemons
3 eggs
4 tablespoons rum
3 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the oils and mix with a wooden spoon or with the paddle of an electric mixer until crumbly. Grate the zest of the lemons directly over the mixture. Beat the eggs, rum, milk, and vanilla and lemon extracts together. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir until completely incorporated.
Shape the dough into a ball. Set it in a round baking pan (91/2 to 10 inch round) lined with parchment paper, and using your hands, make a hole in the center. Gradually stretch the dough from the center, increasing the size of the hole to about 6 inches wide. The hole will close up somewhat during baking. Makes one round cake:
Bake at 375, until a tester comes out clean. about 45 minutes.
Icing for May Wreath Cake
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons sugar
Colored sprinkles
Just before the cake is finished baking, beat the egg whites briskly until they form soft peaks. Add the sugar and beat until glossy. Remove the cake from the oven, spread the icing over the top, then shower with colored sprinkles, and return to the oven for 5 minutes, or until icing is lightly browned.