Written by Annalisa

2 x 8″ cake tins, buttered and lined with parchment paper
450g unsalted butter
450g caster sugar
450g ground almonds
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 eggs (large)
Zest of four lemons
Juice of one lemon
220g polenta flour
One and a half teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
Oven pre-heated to 160 degrees

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add ground almonds and vanilla extract and mix together. Then add the eggs one at a time. Fold in the zest of the lemons and then the juice. Then add the polenta flour, baking powder and salt. Divide between the tins. The mixture will be anything from fairly runny to quite gloopy depending on how much juice the lemon yielded.

The ‘difficulty’ with this cake is not in making it (it’s easy) but in the cooking as, depending on your oven, the size of tin used and how liquidy the mixture was. Set the timer for about 35 minutes for the first check, although generally this cake takes 45-50mins. It should be golden on top and a skewer should come out clean. If it’s gunky give it more time, in increments of 5/10 mins. When cooked the top should also be springy but firm.

Correctly cooked, polenta cake is moist, dense and delicious. When totally cooled dust with icing sugar and eat repeatedly at tea time.