Adapted from Maialino’s Olive Oil Cake. In place of the orange flavoring of the original cake, I used lemon and lemon verbena, reduced the liquid slightly and added instant polenta for the additional structure needed for financiers. To improve the browning and crisp edges, I increased the baking temperature slightly, and added a final powdered sugar glaze for an additional boost of lemon flavor and nicer presentation. The resulting mini cakes are moist and citrusy, and go particularly well with black tea. <br /> <br />The lemon verbena is optional, but if, like me, you need to bring in your plant for the winter, I recommend processing some of the leaves with sugar and keeping it in bags in the freezer for baking until you have a new crop.

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