Almond & lemon cake

If you can get them, Amalfi lemons are larger and juicier than regular lemons, and have a powerful fragrance. If you can’t find them, use extra-large lemons instead.

SERVES 9 PREP 30 mins COOK 1 hr 15 mins EASY V

250g butter, softened, plus

extra for the tin

250g golden caster sugar

3 eggs

100g polenta

250g ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

3 Amal i or extra-large lemons,

zested, 1 juiced crème fraîche, to serve (optional)

For the syrup

1 Amal i or extra-large lemon 3 tbsp golden caster sugar

1 Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/ gas 3. Butter and line the base of a 23cm springform tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together using an electric whisk until light and flu y. Add the eggs, one by one, beating between each addition. Fold in the polenta, ground almonds and baking powder, then stir in the lemon zest and juice. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface.

2 Bake for 50 mins-1 hr, or until the cake is risen and golden (cover the top loosely with foil after 30 mins to stop it browning too much, if needed). Leave to cool in the tin.

3 Meanwhile, make the syrup. Pare thin strips of peel from the lemon, trim any pith from the peel, and cut into thin matchsticks.

4 Juice the lemon and tip the juice into a small pan with the sugar and 3 tbsp water. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for a minute. Add the peel, remove from the heat and leave to cool.

5 Transfer the cake to a serving plate, drizzle over the lemon syrup along with the peel, and leave to soak in for at least 10 mins. Serve with crème fraîche, if you like

PER SERVING 559 kcals • fat 40g • saturates 16g • carbs 38g • sugars 36g • ibre 1g • protein 10g • salt 0.9g