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.
Lemon Polenta Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1 ¾ cups ground almonds
- ¾ cup fine cornmeal polenta
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest
For the Syrup:
- ½ cup lemon juice
- ¾ cup icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Line base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease sides with butter.
- Combine almonds, cornmeal and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
- In another bowl beat butter and superfine sugar until pale (I used a hand mixer).
- To the butter/sugar mixture add some of the almond/cornmeal mixture, followed by 1 egg, and continue to beat.
- Alternately add the almond/cornmeal mixture followed by an egg until it is all incorporated, beating the whole time.
- Beat in the lemon zest.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.
- 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.
- Remove and set on a wire rack (leave the cake in the pan).
- Make your simple syrup by combining the lemon juice and icing sugar in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a boil and cook until all the sugar is dissolved.
- Prick the top of the cake all over with a cake tester.
- Pour the warm syrup over the cake.
- Let cool completely before removing from tin.
- Slice, and if desired garnish with powdered icing sugar and berries.
veenaazmanov
Lemon cake with Polenta sounds so very unique. Love the crumbly texture. This is so very yum for sure.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
This classic cake is super delicious and really easy to make. Hope you give it a try.
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
This dish looks so deliciously good. I wish I could eat that right this minute!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Well if you decide to make it, I am sure you are going to enjoy it. It really is delicious.
Julia
I’ve never had polenta before but I’ve been shopping so much in the flour aisle and keep seeing cornmeal. This gives me an idea that I SHOULD be making this this weekend. Also I love any lemon desserts, the sourness/acidity gives it such a nice kick.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You really need to give this polenta cake a try. It is a winner in our house. If you are a lemon lover, THIS is for you.
Farrukh Aziz
Looks delicious! I love how it’s so easy and with only a few ingredients! Lemon Polenta Cake is what I’m looking for! I’m having some friends over this weekend, and I think this is just the right recipe to make!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I know right. Simple recipes are still the best. ENJOY….this cake is so delicious.
Natalie
I love polenta cake. Haven’t done it in a while. Thanks for this reminder… I will give your recipe a try. Can’t wait. Looks so delicious! Yum!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
This cake is super easy to make and always turns out. A great recipe for company too.
Shelley
My son loves lemon-flavored desserts, and I love working with almond meal and almond flour in my baking … so this recipe is a total win for us! Plus, even though it’s such a beloved classic, I was really happy to read the instructions and see how very easy it is, too! Thank you!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
YES, it is super easy to make. This is a lemon lover’s dream cake. ENJOY,
Chef Dennis
Yum! Your Lemon Polenta Cake recipe looks absolutely mouthwatering! This will be perfect for our weekend meal.
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
This really is an easy and delicious dessert for any night of the week. ENJOY!
Sandy Salazar
Hi,
I absolutely LOVE this cake. I make it in the summer a lot but am considering making it for some friends for Christmas. Have you ever tried freezing this cake? Would you think it will be okay?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I would for sure freeze this cake. It should be just fine. So glad you love this recipe, we do too.
Dana Sandonato
Oh goodness gracious. So ok. I’m with you on lemon meringue pie, and I was planning on making one from scratch when my Dad visits in April because that’s his fave, but I’ve decided yo make this instead. SO moist, SO lemony, and SO delicious!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Isn’t it awesome how delicious simple foods are? So glad you liked this recipe.
Trish Bozeman
Is there anything better than lemon desserts in the dead of winter? NOPE! Amazing recipe, Gloria. Totally going to just grind sugar next time instead of buying super fine. 🙂
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Yes, the fact we can make our own superfine sugar at a fraction of the cost is awesome.
Lisa
This is a wonderful flavor combination. I just love bright citrus desserts and paired with this beautiful polenta cake, it’s outstanding. Just the right crumb and moistness and I think the texture from the cornmeal is my favorite part. I think this will be on our Easter table this year! Thank you for the recipe!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This is the perfect Easter dessert. Enjoy!
Joann Perez
Omg!!!!!! Absolutely delish!!! and so airy and guilt free love love!! It’s a keeper 👏👏👏👏👏
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for stopping by to let me know. I agree, this is a keeper!!
Tania W
We love this cake and it is simple to throw together!
I added some more lemon essence and some of the lemon slices on top which turned out great. i also halved the sugar which was perfect for us!
Thank you!!!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
So glad you liked this lemon polenta cake. It is elegant and easy to make.
Denise
I have never made a cake with polenta but this look so flavorful. My husband is Italian and we have potenta alot but never other than the soft, mushy kind. I’ll have to make this for him because he loves lemon desserts and I can show him something new to do with polenta. Great idea!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This cake is super delicious and a great way to enjoy polenta in a sweet recipe. Hope you give this recipe a try. Lemon lovers dream right here.
Toon
this is a great cake recipe. As I did not have enough almond powder, I added coconut rasp. Tasted delicious 🙂
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for the link to my recipe. I have shared your post on social media.