Toasted Fennel Seed Cake

Fennel and ginger spiced cake made with BLiS bourbon maple syrup, served with maple-sweetened crème fraiche and airy maple sea foam candy.

Directions for Fennel Seed Cake

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray loaf pan or 8” x 8” square cake pan. Line bottom with parchment paper.

Toast fennel seeds until fragrant in a small pan. Let cool and crush fine with mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Beat together room temperature butter and honey.

Combine olive oil, milk, and eggs. Slowly add into butter and honey. Scrape sides of the bowl and add in rum. Beat as smooth as possible. The mixture may look a little broken. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, and salt in a large bowl. Add fennel seeds to dry mixture after sifting.

Make well in the center of dry ingredients and fold in wet ingredients in 3 stages just until combined. Fold in yogurt just until combined. Pour into prepared pan and bake until center is set and the sides are just starting to pull away from the pan.

Directions for Crème Fraiche

Whip all ingredients together to medium peak.

Directions for Maple Sea Foam

In a small saucepan combine all ingredients except for the baking soda. Do not stir! Bring to 300°F. Sift baking soda while syrup is heating up. When syrup reaches temperature, take off heat and quickly whisk in baking soda. Immediately pour onto a tray lined with a Silpat. Do not move or touch or look at funny or it will deflate.

Let cool at least 1 hour before breaking into pieces. Store in airtight container for 2-5 days depending on humidity.

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