Spiced Pumpkin, Ginger and Polenta Cake

This one is gluten-free!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 12)

◆ 200g prepared pumpkin or butternut squash, chopped ◆ 150g butter, at room temperature ◆ 150g caster sugar ◆ 4 large eggs, beaten ◆ ½tsp almond essence ◆ 1 orange ◆ 200g ground almonds or hazelnuts ◆ 200g instant polenta ◆ 1tsp ground ginger ◆ Pinch salt ◆ 2tsp baking powder ◆ 1tbsp stem ginger in syrup, finely chopped To decorate: ◆ 5tbsp syrup from the jar of ginger ◆ 2 knobs of stem ginger in syrup, thinly sliced ◆ A few whole almonds, sliced

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4. Line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper.

2 Cook the pumpkin or butternut squash in simmering water for 10-15min, until tender. Drain, mash and leave to cool.

3 Beat butter and caster sugar together in a large bowl until light in texture, then gradually beat in the eggs. Stir in the almond essence, finely grated orange zest, ground almonds or hazelnuts, polenta, ground ginger, salt, baking powder and stem ginger, mixing thoroughly. Stir in the pumpkin.

4 Transfer to the prepared tin. Level the sur face. Bake on the middle oven shelf for 50-55min, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 20min, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the lining paper.

5 Squeeze the juice from half the orange and put into a saucepan with the ginger syrup. Slice the remaining orange and add to the pan with the stem ginger. Simmer for 3-4min. Pierce top of cake several times with a skewer, then spoon hot syrup mixture on top. Sprinkle with almonds, then serve.