Polenta, Lemon and Almond Cake
Ingredients
- 225g Soft unsalted butter
- 225g Golden caster sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Lemon. finely grated zest and juice
- 200g Ground almonds
- 125g Polenta
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Almond essence (optional)
- Handful Flaked almonds (optional)
- Approx 2 extra teaspoons Polenta and 5-10g melted butter to line tin
- 2 tsp Icing sugar for dusting (optional)
Accompaniment
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Description
I have adapted this from a couple of different recipes and I always get asked to pass the recipe on. Delicious, with a great texture.
Method
-
1
Preheat the oven to 170° C. Line the base of a 20cm / 8 inch cake tin with baking paper. Brush the sides of the tin with melted butter and dust with polenta.
Cream the butter and sugar well. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add in the lemon zest and juice, and the almond essence, if using. Fold in the ground almonds, polenta and baking powder.
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the flaked almonds, if using. Cook for between 55 minutes and 1 hour 10 minutes, depending on your oven. I usually find that just under an hour is perfect. Check after 45 minutes and place a piece of foil on top of the cake to prevent it from becoming too brown.
Remove the cake from the oven when a skewer comes out clean, and let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out,
Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or cold, with crème fraîche and fresh berries or berry compote (see below).
Chef's Tips
Quick berry compote:
Heat 75g caster sugar and 75g water in a saucepan to make a syrup. Pour over 100g frozen berries, and add a squeeze of lemon juice – mix together.
If you don't eat it all on the first day, it keeps really well in an airtight tin for a few days.
I sometimes make a small version of this, for 6 - 8 people, in my 15 cm tin using 2/3 of the ingredients.
I made this again yesterday but was short on ground almonds so used 170 g almonds and 155 g polenta and it was just as good as usual.