Nigella's Lemon Polenta Cake Recipe

makes around 12 servings

Ingredients

200g softened butter

200g caster sugar

200g ground almonds

100g medium grain polenta (not instant)

3 medium eggs

1tspn baking powder

3 lemons - zest and juice

125g icing sugar

Method

1) Set the oven to 180C. Beat the butter and sugar until well combined and pale

2) Add the ground almonds, polenta, lemon zest, 3 eggs and baking powder, and continue to beat together until well combined and a consistent texture

3) Line the bottom of a 15x5cm cake tin with baking paper and lightly butter the sides. Alternatively you could make cupcakes using paper cupcake holders and a 12-hole muffin tin

4) Spoon the mix into the cake tin or cupcake holders. Careful not too add too much as the mixture will rise during baking

5) Bake cakes for 25-30mins, cupcakes for 10mins

6) Remove cake from the oven. If you gently move the tin around, the mixture should be set and not wobbly at all. It should also be a dark golden colour. Using a cocktail stick or skewer, poke holes into the cake, not all the way to the bottom though. This is to help the cake evenly absorb the sugar syrup.

7) Make the sugar syrup: measure out the icing sugar into a saucepan and add the lemon juice. Heat until the sugar dissolves, remove from the heat and pour over the cake. Leave the syrup to set over the cake.

8) Run a pallet knife around the sides of the cake tin and remove the cake. Serve on a cake plate

Tip - try serving with blueberries and creme fraiche

Tip - for a different look, bake the cake in a square or rectangular tin