My Lemon Polenta Cake

I've had a few requests for my version of Lemon Polenta Cake. I've been making it for many years ever since I tasted my first slice in a cafe in Staines, outside London, one afternoon when my manager at Sharwoods' took me out for an end of the day briefing. I don't remember what we talked about but have never forgotten the cake. We have always remained friends and this is the lemon she gave me recently - grown on her own tree in her conservatory - a long way from Staines and the M25.

My cake is based on the River Cafe's iconic recipe, with some tweaks and adaptions from several of Nigel Slater's recipes from the Sunday Observer newspaper.

This is the one I made for my niece's wedding a few weeks ago.

It's gluten free.

Lemon Polenta Orange and Honey Glazed Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

250g butter

250g golden castor sugar

I tsp vanilla essence

3 large eggs

300g ground almonds

150g ground polenta

1 level tsp baking powder

Grated zest of 3 lemons 

Juice of 2

For the Drizzle Syrup

Juice and zest of 2 lemons

Juice and zest of a large orange

50g golden castor sugar

4 Tbsp runny honey

Method

Pre-heat the oven180C/Gas mark 5.

Line a loose based cake tin 20/22cm in diameter with non stick parchment paper.

Beat the butter and sugar in a food mixer till light and fluffy.

Add the vanilla essence.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Add the ground almonds.

I usually transfer the mixture to a large bowl at this stage and stir in the polenta and baking powder. 

Lastly add the grated zest of the lemons and the juice. Add the juice slowly  - you may not need all of it. The mixture should be slack but preferably not curdled. And it doesn't matter if it does curdle it'll still be fine!

Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 mins.  Turn the heat down to 160C/Gas mark 3 and continue cooking for a further 30 mins. Cover the surface with a piece of tin foil if it browns too quickly. 

Keep an eye on it. You know your own oven - if it cooks more quickly or slowly than recommended cooking times! Mine always needs less time than they say. 

Start testing it with a skewer after 40 mins or so. It should come out with no raw cake mixture sticking to it but still moist. And it'll be firm on the top. I always have to cover mine with foil.

Always better to err on the side of damp not dry re the skewer.

Remove from the oven and leave in the tin.

To Make The Drizzle Syrup

Grate the zest of the lemons and orange over a measuring jug. Cut the fruits in half and squeeze their juice into the jug and top up to 250ml with water. 

Pour into a saucepan - a large one as it has a tendency to boil over if you don't watch it - and add the sugar and honey. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly till it reduces to about 175 ml. You just have to take it off the heat and measure it after it starts to get a bit syrupy - after 5 -10 mins.

Spike holes in the top of the cake with a skewer/knitting needle and spoon the hot syrup and zest over the still warm cake, and leave to cool in the tin.

Serves 8 - 12 

It's lovely served with a  Chantilly Mascapone Cream. 

Mix a tub of mascapone  cheese with a tub of cream and a tub of natural yoghurt and sweeten with honey and vanilla essence.

And some fresh berries on the side.

Or just on its own. 

And light candles if it's a  birthday.