1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar 4 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 tablespoon lemon zest Pinch of salt 1/2 cup finely minced fresh rose geranium leaves 3 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup buttermilk 6 whole fresh rose geranium leaves
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter or margarine and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs on at a time. Mix well. On slow speed, add vanilla extract and next 3 ingredients.
In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda. To the batter, add dry ingredients in 3 portions and buttermilk in 2 portions, alternating between the two. Mix well to moisten flour. Place whole rose geranium leaves in the bottom of prepared Bundt pan. Carefully pour batter into the pan. Bake for exactly 1 hour, 10 minutes, even if cake does not appear done at the end of cooking time. Cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Dust with confectioners' sugar or frost.
