Vibrant Lemon Polenta Cake is a delicious, elegant, gluten free dessert. Simple and refined, the perfect way to end a meal.
I love lemon desserts. Tangy with a bit of sweetness. Perfect for pies, tarts, muffins, and cakes. This polenta cake is so moist and flavourful, and you will never believe how easy it is to make. Do you love lemon curd? You will love this!
Cornmeal was something I have loved since childhood. I would often just boil some up and eat it with sour cream. I know that may sound weird, but perhaps that is the Ukrainian in me.
Today I find more creative ways to use cornmeal, and this Vibrant Lemon Polenta Cake has got to be our favourite so far. Both my husband and I rate lemon meringue pie at the top or our dessert list. Since making this cake, it seems like this is a very, very close second.
I get a lot of inspiration from celebrity chefs. Watching them on cooking shows, collecting their cookbooks and following them on social media. Nigella Lawson is a fun person to watch in the kitchen. Her Lemon Polenta Cake sounded so good I just had to give it a try.
This cake is so easy to make. What a bonus since it is gluten free too. What a great dessert to have in my repertoire for when my gluten free friends come over for dinner. Simple and elegant, this is the perfect way to end a great meal.
In the recipe, you will notice it calls for caster sugar. In North America, we don’t have caster sugar, but what we do have is superfine sugar. If you have ever bought this before, you know how expensive it is for a small amount. Did you know you can make it at home? Yup, all you have to do is put regular granulated white sugar into your blender and turn it into caster sugar. So much cheaper than paying the high prices at the store for this baking ingredient.
You can also do the same process for the ground almonds. Your blender is so useful when it comes to ingredients like this. Of course, if you don’t have a blender, you can buy ground almonds and superfine sugar at any grocery store or Bulk Barn if you have one near you.
For this recipe, you will need a springform pan. That way it is much easier to get the baked cake out of the pan. Basically mix the ingredients, place in the pan and bake. Simple and easy, but the results are outstanding.
While the cake is baking, you make a simple syrup with lemon juice and sugar. When the cake is done, you pour the warm simple syrup over the top to create a shiny sweet surface.
Once cooled, remove the cake from the pan. Slice and enjoy. I added some icing sugar and sliced strawberries as a garnish, but honestly this cake works perfectly as a stand-alone dessert.
If you are looking for an elegant yet easy dessert, this Vibrant Lemon Polenta Cake has to be a must try on your list. Impress your guests, they never need to know how easy this dessert is to make.
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For more cornmeal and lemon recipes try:
Southwest Shrimp and Grits Salad
Vibrant Lemon Polenta Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1 3/4 cups ground almonds
- 3/4 cup fine cornmeal polenta
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
For the Syrup:
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3/4 cup icing sugar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350º F.
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Line base of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease sides with butter.
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Combine almonds, cornmeal and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
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In another bowl beat butter and superfine sugar until pale (I used a hand mixer).
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To the butter/sugar mixture add some of the almond/cornmeal mixture, followed by 1 egg, and continue to beat.
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Alternately add the almond/cornmeal mixture followed by an egg until it is all incorporated, beating the whole time.
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Beat in the lemon zest.
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Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.
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Test using a cake tester, the cake will be done, but might seem a bit "wobbly", the cake should be shrinking away from the side of the pan.
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Remove and set on a wire rack (leave the cake in the pan).
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Make your simple syrup by combining the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small saucepan.
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Bring to a boil and cook until all the sugar is dissolved.
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Prick the top of the cake all over with a cake tester.
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Pour the warm syrup over the cake.
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Let cool completely before removing from tin.
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Slice, and if desired garnish with powdered icing sugar and berries.
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ENJOY!
Recipe Notes
This recipe was adapted from Nigella Lawson's Lemon Polenta Cake
I’ve made Nigella’s version of this cake so many times…I LOVE it! You can’t beat a good lemon cake! I have a serious urge to go make it again now 🙂
It is so easy….and so delicious.
I always love Nigella’s recipes and this polenta cake is amazing.
SO delicious.
Oh I love lemon and I love polenta. I bet this tasted delicious. Can’t wait to try.
Thanks for the recipe
It was so good…hope you give it a try.
The Peachicks are massive fans of lemon in desserts and cakes! This looks yummy and the colour is amazing!
Thanks so much….it is yummy!
I love Lemon desserts. That looks tasty.
Lemon desserts ROCK!!
Perfect timing! I just got a bag of gluten-free cornmeal from Anson Mills thinking I would make cornbread but why do that when I can make this cake? Yum!
Oh man…you are gonna LOVE it!!
I LOVE deserts with lemon! Yum!
They are delicious that is for sure.
This presentation is just gorgeous!!
Thanks so much…the cake was delicious.
Oh how I love a polenta cake. It has been on my to do list for a while, this weekend seems to be the perfect timing! Yum!
You know how delicious it is!!
This looks so good. My husband loves lemon cake– I am pinning so I can try this for him!
Hope he likes it…my husband loves it.
Nice, hearty dessert for the on coming Fall weather. The lemon in addition to the polenta really helps the heaviness of the cake and turns it into something fun and and almost electrified. Nice job!
It really is delicious for sure.
i adore lemon and polenta so this cake is right up my alley. It is beautiful in its’ simplicity!
I have to agree with you,simple and delicious.
This looks so deliciously sticky. I love cakes with real substance so will be trying your recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Hope you enjoy it!!
This looks so decadent, and it’s gluten free?! Can’t wait to try it!
It is so good.
I am such a lemon fan! I love the bright, tart flavor. This looks like something I definitely need to try.
Hope you give it a try.
This looks great – love cornmeal! Just posted a cornmeal recipe too :). I am also Ukrainian and never thought of it as Ukrainian, but maybe that’s where my love of cornmeal comes from too!
Yup…Ukrainian and cornmeal for sure.
Sounds delicious! I think I gained 5 pounds just looking at it!
You know, it freezes well so you don’t have to worry.
I have no idea you can use polenta to bake a cake. So awesome! My husband and I adore lemon desserts. This sure will be added to my to-bake list!
Hope you love it as much as we do.
I’ve never thought to use polenta in a dessert, great idea!
It’s awesome in a dessert. You are welcome.
I love lemon desserts too, and this one looks perfect! I love how simple it is, and I bet the texture is amazing! Also love the sugar tip..thank you! ?
The texture is SO amazing!!
This looks like a seriously moist cake — I’m a huge lemon and cornmeal fan – so it’s like you made this JUST FOR ME!
HAHA…well I wish I could. Hope you give it a try.
How delicious that looks!
SOOOO delicious.
I have never had a polenta dessert before! I am a huge fan of lemon desserts though so this looks yummy! 🙂
It really makes an awesome dessert.
This looks so yummy! Lemon is my absolute favorite, so this is going on my must try list for sure!
Hope you really enjoy it!!
I love this idea. Lemon is such a great ingredient. I never thought to make it with polenta. Can’t wait to try.
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
What a delicious cake. I lvoe anything lemon. I lvoe the simplicity of this recipe and yet so elegant.
Yes simple and elegant for sure.
I will have to give this a try! It looks amazing!
Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
It is SO vibrant! I also love lemon desserts. I feel like there’s nothing like them. They can be tart and fun in the summer and warm and comforting in the colder weather.
Yes….I love lemon desserts too.
Thanks so much for including my Vibrant Lemon Polenta Cake in this great collection.