What brings a bit of sunshine into a gray, not-yet-spring day? Lemons! This super-moist lemon cake is a rustic juxtaposition of earthy/grainy and the bright pop of pure lemon. I enjoyed a piece in the middle of the afternoon with a cup of tea. It's outta this world. The recipe originates with Brit food guru Nigella Lawson, but I first saw it mentioned over at Eryl's blog The Kitchen Bitch Ponders. This recipe is also, amazingly enough, gluten-free.
Lemon Polenta Cake
8 oz butter, softened
finely grated rind of 2 lemons
1 cup caster sugar (I used regular)
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups ground almonds
1 cup fine polenta
Syrup: 1/4 cup each: lemon juice, sugar
(about 4 lemons total for this recipe)
(about 4 lemons total for this recipe)
Preheat oven to 325.
Lightly grease a round cake pan.
Beat the butter, rind and sugar, until light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg yolks, beating well.
Stir in the juice, ground almonds and polenta.
Whip the egg whites, until soft peaks form. Carefully fold into the polenta mixture.
Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Meanwhile, boil the lemon juice and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Spoon evenly over the hot cake.
