Lemon Polenta Cake

A moist, golden Italian-style cake made with ground almonds and polenta, drenched in a sharp lemon syrup for a damp, citrussy crumb.

Ingredients

• 200g soft unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 200g ground almonds
• 100g fine polenta (cornmeal)
• 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 large eggs
• Zest of 2 lemons

For the syrup: Juice of 2 lemons

• 125g icing sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4 and line a 23cm springform tin.

Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy.

1. Mix the ground almonds, polenta and baking powder, then beat into the butter mixture alternately with the eggs.
2. Stir in the lemon zest and scrape the batter into the tin, levelling the top.
3. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean (the cake stays fairly damp).
4. Meanwhile make the syrup by heating the lemon juice and icing sugar until the sugar dissolves.
5. Prick the warm cake all over and spoon the syrup over it, letting it soak in. Cool in the tin.

Notes

Based on Nigella Lawson’s Lemon Polenta Cake (How to be a Domestic Goddess / nigella.com).