CLEMENTINE POLENTA CAKE

This moist, flourless cake is perfect for teatime, but also makes a beautiful pudding when drizzled with a little cream or topped with a blob of yoghurt.

SERVES 12

PREPARATION TIME: 25 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 50 MINUTES

FOR THE CAKE

● 250g unsalted butter, very soft

● 250g caster sugar

● 2 free-range eggs

● 200g fine polenta

● 100g ground almonds

● 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

● Zest and juice of 3 clementines

● 2 tbsp lemon juice

FOR THE SYRUP

● 50ml runny honey

● Juice of 1 clementine and 1 lemon Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°f/gas mark 3½.

1. Butter a 25cm round cake tin and line it with baking paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat the soft butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together by hand the polenta, ground almonds and baking powder. Add to the butter mixture and beat well. Fold in the clementine zest, juice and the lemon juice before scraping the mixture into your prepared tin. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

3. To make the syrup, heat the honey with the clementine and lemon juice in a small pan over a gentle heat until it is runny, then pour it over the cake while it’s still hot. Leave to cool in the tin.

The cake is wonderful served with Greek yoghurt or double cream.

TIP: You can experiment with other kinds of citrus in this recipe as well. It works very well with lemon. You can use agave nectar instead of honey for the syrup (this would go nicely with lime juice in place of the clementines).