Lemon Polenta Cake With Lavender Syrup And Raspberries Recipes

LEMON POLENTA CAKE WITH LAVENDER SYRUP AND RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180 C or 360 F or Gas mark 4.
• Sift the polenta, flour, baking powder & salt into a bowl.
• Tip the yoghurt, oil, lemon zest & juice into a jug and stir to combine.
• Beat the eggs and egg whites with half the sugar until thick and creamy.
• Fold in the dry ingredients.
• Pour the batter into a greased & lined 2 pint loaf tin.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set & a skewer comes out clean.
• Put the remaining sugar into a pan with 7 fl oz of water and the lavender heads.
• Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Cool completely & then strain into a clean jug.
• Whilst the cake is still warm, prick the top and drizzle over half the syrup, saving the rest to serve with the cake later.
• TO SERVE:.
• Serve with extra syrup, raspberries, creme fraiche & a sprig of lavender.
• The normal portions I use are 2 thin slices on each plate, overlapped for effect and then a drizzle of syrup around the slices with raspberries scattered over the top and a rounded tablespoon of creme fraiche to one side.

ALMOND AND LEMON POLENTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a large bowl and using an electric hand whisk or electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the ground almonds and combine.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Next, add the lemon juice and zest, polenta, baking powder and a pinch of salt.
• Spoon the mixture into a 9in round cake tin (not loose bottomed, 2in deep, lightly buttered and lined with baking parchment) and level out with the back of a spoon.
• Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 1 hour 10 mins or until the cake is firm to the touch and a metal skewer comes out clean.If the cake appears to be browning too much towards the end of the cooking time, cover the top loosely with aluminium foil.
• When the cake is nearly ready, make a syrup by gently heating the lemon juice, zest and the sugar until the sugar has dissolved, then bubble the mixture for a couple of minutes until slightly syrupy.
• When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and drizzle two-thirds of the warm syrup over the top of the cake while it is still in the tin.
• Leave the cake to cool before turning out and slicing.
• Serve drizzled with a little of the extra syrup.

LEMON POLENTA POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F
• Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment or waxed paper.
• Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff; set aside.
• Cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy, then add the egg yolks and mix well.
• Add the lemon juice and milk alternately with the dry ingredients.
• Blend just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan before turning out on a rack to cool.
• Remove the lining paper and cool completely.
• Slice, spread with lemon curd, top with whipped cream and berries.