vanilla extract, milk and melted butter, then fold everything in until combined. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out moist but not totally clean, as the mixture will still need another 10 minutes of cooking. Increase the heat to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6.
Just before the 30–35 minutes are up, make the topping. Place the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. When it has melted, add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil, allowing the mixture to bubble away for 1 minute.
After the cake has been cooking for 30–35 minutes, remove it from the oven and spoon the almond mixture evenly over the top. Place it back in the oven and bake for about 10–15 minutes or until the topping is golden.
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, using a small, sharp knife, loosen around the edges and carefully remove the sides of the tin before placing the cake (still on the base of the tin) on a wire rack to cool down fully.
To transfer to a plate, use a palette knife to loosen the bottom of the cake from the tin, then slide the knife under the cake and ease it onto the plate to serve.
Lemon and rosemary polenta cake
The polenta and ground almonds in this cake mean that it’s already moist even before it’s smothered in a rosemary-lemon syrup as it emerges from the oven. The polenta gives a slight crunch too, which contrasts with the moist crumb. If you use a gluten-free baking powder, the cake will be totally gluten free. Stored in an airtight container, it will keep for a week or so.
Prep time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour 15 minutes–1 hour 25 minutes
Ready in: 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves: 10–12
225g (8oz) fine polenta
1 tsp baking powder
450g (1lb) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
450g (1lb) caster sugar
450g (1lb) ground almonds
6 eggs
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
3 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves, plus sprigs of rosemary to decorate
For the syrup
Juice of 2 lemons
2 large sprigs of rosemary
100g (3½oz) caster sugar
25cm (10in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½in) sides
Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, then butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.
Mix the polenta and baking powder together in a bowl. In a separate large bowl or in an electric food mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, then beat in the ground almonds.
Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl for a few seconds or just until mixed, then gradually add them to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Add the lemon zest and chopped rosemary, then gently fold in the polenta and baking powder to combine.
Tip the batter into the prepared tin and bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for between 1 hour 15 minutes and 1 hour 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. The cake will cook to a deep golden-brown colour and may dip a little in the middle.
While the cake is cooking, make the syrup. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan, along with 50ml (2fl oz) of water. Place the saucepan on the hob, and bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil for 3–4 minutes until ever so slightly thickened, then remove from the heat and discard the rosemary sprigs.
When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife, then carefully remove the cake from the tin and transfer to a serving plate. Reheat the syrup and pour over the cake, then leave the cake to cool down completely before serving. I like to decorate the centre with a few flowering sprigs of rosemary.
Cakes made with sour cream are especially moist and have a very slight tang to them, which here is complemented by the bittersweet marmalade glaze. That tang is nicely accentuated by serving with spoonfuls of rich, thick crème fraîche. Kept covered, this cake will keep for 3–4 days.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 40–50 minutes
Ready in: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves: 6–8
200g (7oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
200g (7oz) caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
200ml (7fl oz) sour cream
300g (11oz) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
For the glaze
Juice of 1 orange
100g (3½oz) marmalade
20cm (8in) diameter cake tin with 6cm (2½ in) sides
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4, then butter the sides of the cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking parchment.
Cream the butter until soft in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, beating all the time. Next beat in the orange zest and sour cream, then sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in to combine.
Tip the mixture
