Polenta, Almond and Lemon cake

Rachel Allen's lusciously moist fragrant lemon cake is a delicious teatime treat and also makes a fabulous dessert 

For the cake tin

• Butter
• 2 tbsp polenta or flour

For the cake:

• 225g soft butter
• 225g castor sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten 
• 1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice 
• Few drop of almond extract, optional 
• 125g medium polenta
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Icing sugar to serve 

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C/150C for fan oven.

To prepare the cake tin; place a disc of greaseproof paper in the bottom of a 20cm cake tin, 5cm deep. Butter the sides of the tin and dust with the flour, or polenta. 

To make the cake; 

Cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the lemon zest and juice, and the almond extract if using. Fold in the ground almonds, polenta, and the baking powder.

Put the cake mixture into the prepared tin and cook for about 1 hour - 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Place a piece of foil on top of the cake after about 45 minutes, to prevent it from becoming too brown. 

Remove the cake from the oven when it is cooked, and let it cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before removing it. 

To serve; 

dust the top of the cake with a little sifted icing sugar.