Limoncello Cake

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

• Butter, for greasing
• 200g ground almonds
• 100g polenta
• 1 heaped tsp baking powder
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g butter, softened
• Zest of 3 large lemons
• 3 large eggs
• 6 tbsp limoncello

For the syrup:

• 3 tbsp limoncello
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp sugar

To serve:

• Crème fraîche
• Icing sugar

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/ Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease a 20cm diameter springform tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
3. Combine the ground almonds, polenta and baking powder in a bowl.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, butter and most of the lemon zest until the mixture is light and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Tip the bowl of dry ingredients into this mixture along with the limoncello and fold with a spatula until just combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and place it on the middle shelf of the oven to bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Once baked, remove from the oven and the tin and allow to cool on a wire rack.
6. Prepare the syrup by placing all the ingredients in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bringing to a steady simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
7. Pierce holes all over the cake with a wooden skewer and pour over the syrup, a little at a time, until the cake has soaked it up. Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and once cool, serve with a dusting of icing sugar, in slices and with a little crème fraîche.