Sicilian Lemon Polenta Cake is a traditional Italian recipe (originating in Sicily) for a lemon-flavoured cake made with ground almonds and polenta. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Italian version of: Sicilian Lemon Polenta Cake.
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This is a very different Sicilian-inspired cake that goes excellently well with coffee.
Ingredients:
375g unsalted butter
375g caster sugar
360g ground almonds
5 large eggs (as fresh as you can get)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 heaped tsp fennel seeds (gently pounded in a pestle and mortar)
juice and finely-grated zest of 4 oranges
1 tsp baking powder
150g polenta
salt
Method:
Prepare a deep cake tin by lining with greaseproof paper and oiling with butter. Begin preparing the cake by cutting the butter into small dice and beating with the sugar in a large bowl. Cream together until light and fluffy before stirring-in the almonds. Beat the eggs together along with the vanilla extract and fennel seeds in a bowl and, stirring all the while, add the eggs to the butter mixture. Then add the poppy seeds, orange juice, orange zest, baking powder, polenta and a pinch of salt. Mix to a smooth batter
Pour the mixture into the cake tin, tap to even it out then place in the centre of an oven pre-heated to 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2) and cook for about 50 minutes, until the cake has cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.