Raspberry Lemon Polenta Cake Food

LEMON POLENTA CAKE WITH LAVENDER SYRUP AND RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180 C or 360 F or Gas mark 4.
• Sift the polenta, flour, baking powder & salt into a bowl.
• Tip the yoghurt, oil, lemon zest & juice into a jug and stir to combine.
• Beat the eggs and egg whites with half the sugar until thick and creamy.
• Fold in the dry ingredients.
• Pour the batter into a greased & lined 2 pint loaf tin.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set & a skewer comes out clean.
• Put the remaining sugar into a pan with 7 fl oz of water and the lavender heads.
• Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Cool completely & then strain into a clean jug.
• Whilst the cake is still warm, prick the top and drizzle over half the syrup, saving the rest to serve with the cake later.
• TO SERVE:.
• Serve with extra syrup, raspberries, creme fraiche & a sprig of lavender.
• The normal portions I use are 2 thin slices on each plate, overlapped for effect and then a drizzle of syrup around the slices with raspberries scattered over the top and a rounded tablespoon of creme fraiche to one side.

RASPBERRY LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• For lemon curd, in a heavy saucepan, beat eggs and sugar. Stir in the lemon juice, butter and lemon zest. Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened and reaches 160°. Cool for 10 minutes. Cover and chill for 1-1/2 hours or until thickened., For cake, preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; set aside to cool., In a large bowl, cream beat butter, oil and 1-1/2 cups sugar until blended, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in gelatin mixture, lemon juice, lemon zest and extracts. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition., Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes., In a microwave-safe bowl, combine lemonade concentrate and remaining sugar. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Poke holes in warm cakes with a fork; pour lemonade mixture over cakes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla; beat until blended., To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 6 tablespoons raspberry jam. Repeat. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread about 1/2 cup lemon curd over top of cake (save remaining curd for another use)., Spread frosting over sides of cake and pipe a shell border along the top and bottom edges. Garnish with raspberries if desired. Chill 1 hour.

LEMON POLENTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and butter sides; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and superfine sugar until pale and fluffy.
• In a medium bowl, mix together almond meal, polenta, and baking powder. Add some of the almond meal mixture to the bowl with the butter mixture and beat to combine. Add one egg and mix until combined. With the mixer on low, continue alternating adding remaining almond meal mixture and 2 eggs; mix until well combined. Add lemon zest and mix just to combine.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and transfer to oven; bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs and cake begins to pull away from sides of the pan, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix together lemon juice and confectioners' sugar; place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved; remove syrup from heat.
• Using a cake tester, prick holes all over the top of the cake; pour warm syrup over cake and let cool completely. Remove from pan and serve.