The Lemon Polenta Cake Recipe One of the few wheat-free cakes that work just as well as those made from wheat flour. 

Ingredients:

12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra for greasing

7oz (200g) sugar

3 large eggs

1⁄2 cup polenta or coarse-ground

cornmeal

1 1⁄3 cups (6oz) ground almonds

finely grated zest and

juice of 2 lemons

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease the pan and line the base with parchment paper.

2 By hand, or in an electric mixer, cream the butter and 6oz (175g) of the sugar until fluffy.

3 Whisk the eggs and gradually beat them into the creamed mixture.

4 Fold in the polenta and almonds, or gently pulse-blend in a processor until well blended.

5 Finally mix in the lemon zest and baking powder well. The batter will seem stiff.

6 Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a palette knife.

7 Bake the cake for 50–60 minutes, until springy to the touch. It will not rise much.

8 Check that the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer. The skewer should emerge clean.

9 Leave the cake in the pan for a few minutes, until cool enough to handle.

10 Meanwhile, put the lemon juice and the remaining sugar in a small saucepan.

11 Heat the juice over medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.

12 Turn the cake out on to a wire rack, baked side up, peeling off the parchment paper.

13 Using a thin skewer or toothpick, poke holes in the top of the cake while still warm.

14 Pour the hot lemon syrup a little at a time over the surface of the cake.

15 Only once the syrup has soaked into the cake, pour more on, until it is all used up.

16 Once cooled, serve the cake at room temperature on its own or with heavy cream or whipped cream. STORE The cake will keep in an airtight container for 3 days.

Lemon Polenta Cake