Lemon, Rice, and Polenta Cake

From the book Breakfast, Lunch, Tea by Rose Carrarini

Serves

Introduction

This is a gluten-free cake with a great texture; it remains moist for about five days. It’s best not to make a large cake from this recipe, as it tends to sink in the middle. Try using smaller tins, such as small loaf pans.

Ingredients

	2¼	cups unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
	2¼	cups caster (superfine) sugar
	~	Grated zest of 4 lemons
	~	Juice of 1 lemon
	1	tsp. vanilla extract
	6	eggs
	5½	cups ground almonds
	2	cups polenta
	½	cup rice flour
	2	tsp. baking powder
	½	tsp. salt
	~	Icing (confectioners’) sugar, to decorate

Steps

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter eight small loaf pans and line bases with parchment paper.
Beat butter and caster sugar till very light and creamy. Add lemon zest, juice, and vanilla extract. Add eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, mix together ground almonds, polenta, rice flour, baking powder, and salt, and fold into the wet ingredients.
Spoon mixture into prepared tins and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool the cakes in their tins before taking them out.
Just before serving, sift some icing sugar over the cakes.

This content is from the book Breakfast, Lunch, Tea by Rose Carrarini.