RECIPE: Lemon & Pistachio Polenta Cake

EQUIPMENT:

Oven set to 160°C

20cm Cake tin

Palette knife

INGREDIENTS:

 Pistachio Polenta Cake 

240g Butter, cold and cubed

270g Caster Sugar

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Zests of 2 Lemons

140g Polenta

1 Tsp Baking Powder

Pinch Salt

3 Medium Eggs, room temperature

Juice of 2 Lemons

80g Blitzed Pistachio nuts

180g Ground Almonds

Lemon Soaking Syrup

Juice of 2 Lemons

50g Water

100g Caster Sugar

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

500g Cream Cheese

Zest of 2 Lemons

50g Double Cream

Blitzed Pistachio nuts, for decoration (optional)

METHODS:

For the Pistachio polenta cake…

Mix the butter, caster sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until it comes together like a dough.* To prevent over-mixing this is best done by hand, almost pushing the ingredients together with the back of a wooden spoon or with a plastic dough-scraper. Mix the dry ingredients and then fold into the mix, ensuring not to overmix.Add the eggs and lemon juice in stages, a small amount at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next batch. Finish by folding in the nuts. Spread the mixture evenly into your tin and bake for about 40 minutes until the cake is golden and a knife or toothpick comes out clean.

For the soaking syrup…

Bring everything to the boil, ensuring the sugar has dissolved. Keep warm until needed. Before you soak your sponge, dot the surface all over with a toothpick, soak the sponge straight from the oven while still in the tin and leave to cool.

To make the cream cheese frosting…

Mix the cream cheese to soften, add the zest and cream and mix until everything is nicely incorporated. 

To decorate your cake, spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake and use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to decorate – making either uniform or random swirls, your choice! Sprinkle with blitzed pistachio nuts and serve