I have baked my Lavender Lemon Sunshine Shortbreads so many times for TV cameras in the past month, I can just about do it in my sleep! But sometimes a cake is more dressy and formal than a cookie, and this is a great moist slicer for when something a bit fancy is required.  I served this to guests last night with a chilled rose and dressed it up with a tiny dollop of rhubarb goat cheese.  The bright yellow and blush pink were a lovely picture with some lavender flowers sprinkled around on the flowered China plates. And yummy, too! 

Cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup goat cheese, or thick Greek plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbs. dried lavender
Glaze: 
1/4 cup powdered sugar (more or less, depending on desired consistency)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
lavender to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease  9x5 loaf pan and set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each until fully incorporated. Add goat cheese, lemon zest and lemon juice, mixing until incorporated. (I use the zest and juice - divided between cake and glaze - of one large lemon.)

Slowly add the dry ingredients and beat on low just until blended. Gently stir in the lavender. 
Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges begin to brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the loaf pans for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
​
for the glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice and stir until well combined. Adjust. Drizzle over cooled cake and sprinkle with lavender. 

At our farm stay bed and breakfast, we are always looking for quick, tasty ways to showcase seasonal produce from the fields. This scone hits the spot in early spring when the rhubarb is abundant and there isn’t a whole lot else coming out of the gardens. Beautiful color, lovely texture and terrific with a little pat of grass-fed butter and a stiff cup of tea!
 
 
 1 cup rhubarb, cut into ¼-inch slices
½ cup granulated sugar, divided, plus more for sprinkling
2½ cups flour
! tablespoon baking powder        
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, chilled and cubed
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla
​Granulated sugar, for sprinkling
 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Place the sliced rhubarb in a small bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the sugar; set aside.
 
Place the remaining sugar in a large bowl.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cubed butter and, using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it is the texture of coarse sand and there are no pieces of butter larger than the size of a pea remaining. Stir the rhubarb and ginger into the mixture, making sure that everything is evenly coated in flour.
 
Pour the heavy cream and vanilla into a well in the flour mixture and, using a wooden spoon, gently stir until all of the cream has been absorbed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead a few times to bring the dough together.
 
Divide the dough in two and pat each into a 7-inch circle. Cut six triangles out of each circle and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional granulated sugar. Bake until the scones are set and golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store the scones in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

So, we won our little lawsuit against the State of Wisconsin. The Cookie Ban has been declared unconstitutional and we should have a meaningful Cookie Bill by the end of 2017.  We are still in a bit of a tussle with the state, which may appeal, but by July 1 home bakers in Wisconsin, like those in 48 other states, will be able to sell non-hazardous baked goods made in their home kitchens. This is great news for startups and for farmers markets in all of our tiny towns and urban neighborhoods. I made up these Maple Dunker cookies in celebration of our farm entrepreneurs in this great agricultural state ! 

These are dry and crisp, intended to be enjoyed with coffee or milk. In fact, they are based on the addictive summer treat we enjoy here in the land of milk and honey: Iced strong coffee sweetened with maple syrup and cut with whole Wisconsin milk. Not too sweet or sticky, they are a neat treat when you are sitting enjoying a farmscape from the front porch. 

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup - I used my neighbor's syrup, of course! 
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 lg egg yolk
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour (I use Lonesome Stone Milling all purpose)
Maple syrup and powdered sugar

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in maple syrup, vanilla and egg yolk until mixture is combined well. Sift together salt and flour over mixture and fold in thoroughly. Chill dough for about 15 minutes, then roll out on a floured surface and cut into shapes.  Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, but watch closely for browning on appendages, especially if you are working with a shape like Wisconsin! 

Allow to cool on racks. Mix 2 tbsp maple syrup with as much powdered sugar as it takes to make a nice, thick glaze. Drizzle over cookies and allow to set up before storing. Enjoy for up to a week in a covered container, or freeze for later use. Enjoy!