Wikipedia tells me that polenta cakes trace their roots to Northern Italy, where they began as a hearty peasant food! This is a wonderfully versatile recipe if you’re catering for a range of dietary needs – it is naturally gluten free and can easily be made vegan by swapping the dairy yogurt for a soy alternative.
Polenta cakes have a unique texture – slightly gritty, which is not usually an adjective welcomed when describing a cake, but in this case the grittiness really works. It also soaks up the lemon syrup beautifully, helping the cake stay moist for days, if it lasts that long.
INGREDIENTS
150 g ground almonds
150 g fine polenta (not instant)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp fine sea salt
100 ml light olive oil, plus a little extra for greasing the tin
200 g caster sugar
2 large lemons, at room temperature
250 ml yogurt at room temperature (plain soy yogurt can be used to make this recipe vegan)
75 g icing sugar
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line the base of a 20 cm springform tin and lightly grease the sides. In a bowl, combine the ground almonds, polenta, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, mixing well with a fork.
- In a large measuring jug, whisk together the oil, sugar and finely grated zest of the two lemons. Stir for about a minute, then add the yoghurt and whisk until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and bake for around 40 minutes, or until the cake is pulling slightly away from the sides and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. While the cake bakes, prepare the syrup.
- Place the icing sugar and 7 5ml of lemon juice in a small saucepan. Heat gently, whisking until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Pour into a jug and set aside to cool slightly.
- Once baked, place the cake on a wire rack and prick it all over with a skewer or cake tester. Slowly spoon or pour the syrup over the top, allowing it time to soak into the cake.
- Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin. Before releasing the springform sides, run a thin knife around the edge to loosen any areas where the syrup has stuck. Serve as is, or topped with fresh berries if desired.
