For the whipped cream:

·     1 cup heavy cream

·     2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

·     2-3 fresh thyme sprigs

·     2 tablespoons powdered sugar

For the cake:

·     1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

·     ½ cup fine yellow cornmeal

·     ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

·     1 tablespoon baking powder

·     ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at roomtemperature, divided

·     1½ cups granulated sugar

·     3 large eggs, at room temperature

·     1½ ounces goat cheese, at room temperature

·     ⅓ cup buttermilk, at room

·     1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

·     1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

·     2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

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For the whipped cream:

1. Combine heavy cream and vanilla bean paste in a small bowl. Rub thyme sprigs between hands to release their oils and add to bowl, stir to combine. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl and discard thyme. Beat cream with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place an 11-inch nonstick cast-iron skillet in oven, preheat for 10 minutes.

2. Add flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder in a small bowl and whisk until combined, set aside. Place ¾ cup butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes (stop when needed to scrape down sides of the bowl). Gradually add granulated sugar, beating on high speed and stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer running on low speed, crumble in goat cheese and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined, about 1 minute. Add buttermilk and vanilla bean paste, beating until just combined, about 1 minute.

3. Remove hot skillet from oven, and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter.

4. Swirl skillet until butter is melted. Carefully pour in cake batter; smooth top if needed. Scatter blueberries over the top and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

5. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

6. Serve cake warm with a dollop of thyme whipped cream.

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