Disclosure: This post contains some affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase as a result of clicking one of these links. There is no additional cost to you.
This gluten-free Lemon Polenta Cake is so easy and delicious. With a crumbly texture from the cornmeal, and a tart sweetness from the lemon syrup that soaks into the cake, it's the perfect moment of simple pleasure.
In Human Design, my sign that I'm in alignment is satisfaction. I think a younger version of me would have seen that as a little bit of a let down. I used to feel like life needed to be extravagant to be exciting. Back then, I didn't understand how to appreciate the simple moments of peace. I couldn't see how precious it was to ease into satisfaction and contentment with gratitude. I didn't understand what a blessing it was to just feel like everything was fine.
Funnily enough, there's a cake metaphor that perfectly illustrates this concept. The younger me loved a big, extravagant layer cake with billows of piped icing and over the top flavors. Those were obviously the best cakes and the only ones that were truly good. Everything else was just a place holder until I could get that extreme cake. These days, I am more than content with a single layer, simply glazed cake. I appreciate the nuance of the simplicity and find deep satifaction in baking and eating something much less complicate and much more pure. Funny how we evolve over time.
What makes Lemon Polenta Cake so awesome?
This Lemon Polenta Cake is the perfect example of beauty in simplicity. It's a simple, rustic looking cake. In fact, mine even cracked a bit as I removed the collar of the springform pan. But that didn't ruin it one bit. Made with cornmeal and ground almonds, this naturally gluten-free cake is tender and crumbly, but still moist. It's got lemon zest in the cake batter itself, but that tart, bright flavor is enhanced even more with the lemon glaze. A warm, lemony syrup gets drizzled over the cake while it's still warm so it can soak into the cake, keeping it moist and flavorful.
This might not be the cake you bake for a child's birthday party of an extravagant celebration. But this is the perfect cake for a gathering of family and friends who appreciate life's simple pleasures. Cut a generous slice and serve it with a pot of tea or coffee in the afternoon. It will brighten the mood and bring you a glorious sense of satisfaction.
Magical Properties of Corn
Cornmeal is a main ingredient in this cake, so you can definitely call on its energy here. A common symbol of prosperity and fertility, invoke the energy of corn whenever you want to create more abundance. Celebrated through the autumn harvests, corn and all grains are especially honored at Lughnasadh. Ruled by fire and the Sun, corn is sacred to Aphrodite and Venus. (Source: The Hearth Witch's Compendium by Anna Franklin)
For more on the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, check the Kitchen Magick page.
Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make this cake. The full details are in the recipe card below.
- Butter - unsalted and softened
- Sugar - caster, superfine, or granulated sugar will all work
- Ground almonds - or almond meal, which is a bit coarser than almond flour
- Cornmeal
- Baking powder
- Eggs
- Lemons - you'll need the zest and the juice
- Powdered sugar - aka icing sugar or confectioner's sugar
Tips for making Lemon Polenta Cake
This cake starts like most others by beating together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You'll mix your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl, then add them in three stages, mixing an egg in between each addition of dry ingredients. So it goes dry, egg, dry, egg, dry. Finally, zest your lemons right over your mixing bowl to catch all the essential oils that are released, and mix the zest in as well. You'll have a very thick batter.
This gets baked in a springform pan. Scoop in the batter and level it out before baking for about 40 minutes.
Before the cake comes out of the oven, make your lemon glaze by adding lemon juice and powdered sugar to a small saucepan. Stir them together and bring the mixture to a boil for a few minutes to thicken slightly.
When your cake comes out of the oven, poke tiny holes in the top with a toothpick or skewer, then pour over the glaze. I like to gently tip the cake to spread the glaze into every edge. As the cake cools, the glaze will sink in, adding extra moisture and flavor to the cake. Once its cool, gently remove the collar of your springform pan and serve it up in generous slices.
FAQ
If you want a smoother, more tender crumb, use actual polenta or a finely ground cornmeal. If you like a slightly more crumbly, cornbread-like texture, a coarser grind will also be delicious. Your cake will just have a grittier texture. Neither one is right or wrong. It's all about what you prefer.
If you're ready to feel deeply satisfied with the simple things, you've gotta give this Lemon Polenta Cake a try. A sweet sigh will wash over you with the first bite, and that's definitely awesome.
Looking for more awesome cake recipes? Try this pretty Lavender Cake or a beautiful Vanilla Bundt Cake.
PrintLemon Polenta Cake
This gluten-free Lemon Polenta Cake is so easy and delicious. With a crumbly texture from the cornmeal, and a tart sweetness from the lemon syrup that soaks into the cake, it's the perfect moment of simple pleasure.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 40
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
for the cake
- 200 grams unsalted butter, room temp
- 200 grams sugar
- 200 grams ground almonds
- 100 grams cornmeal
- 1-½ tsp baking powder
- 3 eggs
- zest of 2 lemons
for the syrup
- juice of 2 lemons
- 125 grams powdered sugar
Instructions
for the cake
- Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment, and grease the sides with butter
- Preheat your oven to 350F/175C.
- With a mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Combine the almonds, cornmeal, and baking powder in a separate bowl, then mix a third of the mixture into the butter and sugar. Add an egg and combine. Continue alternating dry ingredients and eggs until everything is combined.
- Finally mix in the lemon zest.
- Transfer the batter to your pan and bake for 40 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the pan.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
for the syrup
- In a small saucepan, boil the lemon juice and powdered sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
- With a toothpick, prick tiny holes in your cake, then pour the syrup over the cake and let it sink in.
- Once cool, remove the collar from your pan and serve. Store in an air-tight container
Follow me on Pinterest for more awesome cake recipes.
Jess says
I made two of these cakes in regular pans (as I didn’t have springform) and they turned out great! It was a great way to celebrate the full moon
Renee says
So glad you loved the, and glad you had success with a slight variation. Witches know how to make things work.