Candied-Fennel-Topped Lemon Cake

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.8 cup buttermilk well-shaken
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 small fennel bulb 
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 
• 1.5 cups flour all-purpose
• 1.5 teaspoons lemon zest grated
• 8 servings accompaniment: lightly whipped cream sweetened
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.8 cup sugar 
• 1 stick butter unsalted softened
• 0.8 cup water 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• sieve
• plastic wrap
• hand mixer
• cake form
• wax paper

Directions

1. Lightly oil pan and line bottom and side with a large round of wax paper, pleating sides and trimming to fit. Lightly oil paper. Line side with a 2-inch-wide strip of wax paper long enough to wrap around inside of pan to cover pleats, then lightly oil.
2. Cut fennel bulb lengthwise with slicer into enough 1/4-inch-thick slices (about
3. to cover bottom of cake pan.
4. Cover fennel with cold water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
5. Drain fennel and set aside.
6. Add sugar, water (3/4 cup), zest, and fennel seeds to saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
7. Add fennel slices and very gently simmer until tender and translucent and liquid is syrupy, about 40 minutes. Lift fennel slices out with a fork and arrange decoratively in bottom of cake pan. If you have more than 1/3 cup syrup, boil to reduce; if less, add water. Cool syrup slightly, then pour (through a fine-mesh sieve if desired) over fennel.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
9. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy.
10. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in zest.
11. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing until just combined. Gently spoon batter over topping, spreading evenly.
12. Bake until cake is golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate and continue to cool.
13. Serve warm or at room temperature.
14. Cake is best the day it is made but keeps, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature 3 days.