Lavender-infused semolina cake

Oh. My. God. This cake.

It's been so warm outside lately and it's just making me want to eat summery things. Light and fresh and airy things. Plus sometimes I tell myself that summer desserts have fewer calories because they don't rely as heavily on, like, chocolate. Right? That's totally valid. I mean normally I'm a chocolate girl all the way, but sometimes I'll stumble upon a recipe that completely quells my chocolate-tooth. And this one did that entirely. But then I run into problems when something is so good that I go back for seconds... and thirds. Then my calorie theory is shot to shit. But I still justify my eating by saying "hey at least there's no chocolate in here, I totally can't get fat from this."

I think I should just move to California and bake out there. It'll always be warm and I'll bake with flowers and herbs and pretend I'm eating less than I am.

For the cake:

3 eggs
½ cup sugar
1 cup yogurt
1 cup vegetable or corn oil
3 tbsp flour
1 cup semolina
1 tbsp vanilla
½ tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp grated lemon zest

For the syrup:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons dried lavender flowers (they sell these by the ounce at Whole Foods)

Preheat the oven at 350ºF. Beat eggs and sugar well. Add yogurt and oil and mix. Then add the other ingredients and mix. Oil a square 8×13 pan and pour the batter in it. Bake it until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put water and sugar in a pot and bring it to boil. Let it boil for about 5 minutes, then put lavender flowers in the syrup. Turn off the heat immediately. Allow syrup to cool on stove.

Pour the cold syrup on the cake, in portions if it doesn’t absorb the syrup fast enough. Chill in the refrigerator and cut into squares before serving.

Recipe based off of Honey and Butter's Revani cake.