LEMON POLENTA CAKE

Polenta is one of those staples my Mom would make, perfectly creamy with butter and parmesan, and I absolutely loved it. Growing up, because there were 6 kids, and we didn't have a lot of money, she learned to cook for large groups on a budget with a short list of ingredients. Polenta, an Italian version of grits or ground cornmeal, was one of those foods that she could stretch for days and no one would complain because it tasted so dang good. Either way, I've always loved cooking with it. Whether having it creamy alongside a favorite stewed meat or fish, baked, or fried like french fries, it's super versatile. It wasn't until I tried Nigella Lawson's recipe for polenta cake that I even thought polenta could be made sweet. It blew my mind. I brought a few pieces into rehearsal and everyone else was on the same train. It's delicious. The awesome combination of the grittiness of the cornmeal and the tender almond flour makes for a great base and the sour tang from the lemon shines right through. But the real kicker is the bright lemony syrup that you pour into little holes that you prick with a fork that puts the whole thing over the edge, much like the taste of those Greek and Middle Eastern cakes that are soaked in rose water or orange syrup. The recipe's too good not to share, simple and bold, basically gluten-free (if you were to use GF baking powder) and pretty rich in protein (due to the eggs and almond flour), just the way I like baked goods. Raspberries or any tart berry go great with the rich flavors of this cake, either thrown on whole or as a sauce or garnish. I had some leftover raspberries in my freezer so I made a quick syrup with water and sugar. Tell us, what would you pair with this cake?

Ingredients

Cake

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 + 3/4 stick) soft unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 cups almond flour

3/4 cup fine polenta (or cornmeal)

1 + 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3 eggs

Zest of 2 lemons and a bit of juice (save the remainder of juice for the syrup)

Syrup

Juice of 2 lemons

1 cup powdered sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit and fix oven rack to the middle rung. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and butter the sides. Set aside.

2. By hand or electric mixer, in a large bowl beat the butter and sugar until whipped and fluffy.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the polenta, almond meal, and baking powder. Add some of the dry mix with the butter mix and one egg, beating until combined, and alternating between the dry ingredients and eggs, beating as you go until all are whipped together. Beat in the lemon zest.

4. With a spatula pour your batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center oven rack for about 40 minutes, or until the sides pull away from the edge of the pan. Remove cake from the oven to cool but leave it in the pan.

5. Meanwhile, make the syrup. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add the lemon juice and powdered sugar and stir until combined into a syrup. Turn off the heat. With a cake tester (or a fork if you don't have) prick holes all over the cake and pour the warm syrup over. Leave it to cool before removing it from the pan.

6. Top with fresh berries, berry sauce, whipped cream or dig right in!