Lemon Mint Cake = Perfection

It is a known fact that I am obsessed with mint. Mint chocolate chip ice-cream, peppermints, peppermint pie (a Claudia Mozur-Arnold specialty), "Andes mints," oh...the list goes on and on. Well, the other day I was watching the Food Network, a new favorite thing of mine to do, and Giadia-at-home was making a "Lemon Mint Cake." Wait! Wait! Lemon and mint in cake form, I have to try this. However, there was a slight hesitation, the last time I tried to put mint in a cake turned horrible and I ended up throwing out 30 cupcakes. I will never use peppermint extract, I swear the recipe called for it!
So tonight, after a semi-long week of school and work, I made the lemon mint cake. It is sitting in the kitchen this moment teasing me with it's delicious scent. Phil is out....can I resist?....

The Recipe
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients for greasing:

• Butter, for greasing
• Flour, for dusting
  

Cake:

• 3 eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 mint sprigs, leaves chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Syrup (recipe below):

Giada makes this syrup once a week. She makes a whole batch and uses it for cocktails, drizzled over chicken, and this cake. I would suggest making this first and then refrigerating it.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Directions

Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.

For the cake: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat until the mixture holds stiff peaks.

In a separate large bowl, beat the vegetable oil, the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Add the egg yolks 1 at a time. Add the chopped mint, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Set aside.

Slowly add 1/2 of the egg white mixture into the oil mixture. Using a rubber spatula, carefully fold in the remaining egg white mixture. Spread the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cutting board and allow to cool before slicing.

For the syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, water, lemon juice, and lemon zest over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes.

To serve, spoon some of the syrup onto each small plate or shallow bowl and lay a slice of cake on top. Drizzle the cake with additional syrup and garnish with a small sprig of mint. It cannot disappoint!

P.S. I finished "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," I am now contemplating whether to be Elizabeth "Zombie Killer" Bennett for Halloween....