Vibrant Lemon Polenta Cake

Easy Lemon Polenta Cake recipe for a delicious, elegant, gluten-free dessert. It is simple and refined, the perfect way to end a meal.

This flourless cake is made with cornmeal and almond flour. Topped with a sweet and tart lemon syrup and a dusting of icing sugar. By far the best polenta cake we have ever eaten.

An Italian-inspired polenta dessert recipe bursting with lots of lemon flavour. Great for afternoon tea or special occasion dessert.

I love lemon desserts, especially lemon curd. Tangy with a bit of sweetness. Great for pies, tarts, muffins, and lemon curd parfaits. Did you know it also is the perfect filling for making easy lemon tarts?

Lemon desserts are always a sure sign of spring. Perfect for Easter celebrations. My Ukrainian Cheesecake has a nice hit of lemon zest. It is also known as Ukrainian Easter sweet cheese or Syrnyk.

This Italian cornmeal cake is moist and flavourful. You will never believe how easy it is to bake with polenta. It has quickly become our favourite gluten-free lemon cake recipe.

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. It was all about the savoury polenta dishes. Have you tried shrimp and grits?

I had never tried a sweet polenta dessert recipe until I made this lemon cornmeal cake. In fact, I didn’t even know you could use polenta in cakes.

Both my husband and I rate lemon meringue pie at the top of our dessert list. Since making this cake, it seems like this is a very, very close second.

Lemon Cornmeal Cake Ingredients

• butter
• polenta (ground cornmeal)
• superfine sugar (see recipe tip)
• almond flour (ground almonds)
• baking powder
• eggs
• lemon zest
• lemon juice
• icing sugar

Baking Polenta Cake

Simple and elegant, rustic yet classy. Full instructions are in the recipe card. This recipe was adapted from Nigella Lawson’s polenta cake recipe.

• Heat the oven and grease a round cake pan. I used a springform pan.
• Juice the lemons. I like using a citrus reamer.
• Zest the lemons. A microplane works best.
• Combine the almonds, cornmeal, and baking powder.
• Combine the butter and sugar.
• Alternate the dry mixture with the wet mixture, adding the eggs as you go.
• Place batter in baking pan.
• Bake.
• Top warm cake with lemon syrup.

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.

Suggestions / Recipe Tips

Be sure to use ground cornmeal for this recipe. Coarse cornmeal will produce a gritty texture in the cake.

This recipe 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 to make almond flour. 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.

Store leftover cake in a cake container, or place it in a container that you can seal to prevent it from drying out. It will last about 4-5 days. You can also freeze it for longer storage. Be sure to wrap it well in plastic wrap.

Is Cornmeal The Same As Polenta?

• There can be some confusion about what polenta is. I grew up only knowing it as ground cornmeal.
• The truth is, that polenta is a dish made of boiled cornmeal. In the south, it can be referred to as grits.
• It can be found in several varieties like coarse, fine, and instant. Located in the baking section or rice section.
• There is even a pre-cooked version. This can be found in a tube shape in the refrigerated section of the grocery store near the olives, dips, and specialty cheeses.
• Besides the boiled version, you can serve it grilled or baked in both savory and sweet recipes. Polenta fries are always a hit. 
• Polenta is cooked in salted water, similar to oatmeal and rice. 
• It is a gluten-free grain.

Need a few more lemon-inspired recipes to try? I have the perfect no-churn Easter ice cream recipe. The kids are going to love it.

Once the hot summer days start to roll around, these lemon tea popsicles are sure to please. Adults love these fruit-filled treats.

Since you will love this easy-to-make cake, give this classic coffee cake recipe a try too. A great cinnamon breakfast cake.