The heady fragrance of fresh ripe strawberries is made subtly more complex with the addition of just a small amount of balsamic vinegar. Italian polenta and yogurt add flavor and texture to a classic poundcake. The lemon zest and juice in the cake provide a pleasing contrast to the perfume of the berries.

2 cups cake flour

3/4 cups fine polenta

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup butter, unsalted

1 1/4 cup sugar

6 large eggs

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp lemon extract or pure lemon oil (available at In Good Taste, Sur la Table, and other gourmet food stores)

zest of 1 lemon (use Meyer lemons if available)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and lightly flour a bundt pan.

Measure and sift together dry ingredients except sugar.

Combine yogurt, lemon juice, lemon extract, and lemon zest.

Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.* Add lemon zest.

With mixer on low, alternate adding dry ingredients and yogurt mixture, mixing just until batter is smooth.

Transfer to prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees. When the cake just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan remove and cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a serving plate or rack to finish cooling.

1 quart fresh ripe strawberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 /2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Gently wash berries. Select a few of the prettiest for garnish. Slice the remainder and place in a bowl. Gently toss with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of sugar. Let stand at least 30 minutes to let berries give up their juice. Add 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar and gently stir to combine. Turn out into a serving bowl.

Just before serving, shake confectioner’s sugar through a sieve onto the cake. Hint: To keep the plate clean if the cake is already on it, slide strips of wax paper under the bottom edges of the cake. Remove to serve.

Serve cake with berries and sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

* For a lighter textured cake, separate the eggs and whip the whites separately in a clean bowl with clean beaters until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter just before turning into pan.