TRIPLECELLO POLENTA CAKE

A WONDERFULLY MOISTCAKE WHICH ISNATURALLY GLUTEN FREE. WARDINGTON’S ORIGINAL TRIPLECELLO LIQUEUR ADDS ITS SUBTLE BUT CITRUSSY HIT OF LEMON, ORANGE AND PINK GRAPEFRUIT TO INSTANTLY LIFT THIS CAKE INTO CLASSY PUDDING TERRITORY. A SLICE (OR TWO) OF THIS, SOME CRÈME FRAICHE, MAYBE A FEW BERRIES AND AN ESPRESSO AND YOU’RE INSTANTLY ON THE AMALFI COAST LISTENING TO THE MEDITERRANEAN LAPPING NEARBY.

INGREDIENTS

Cake

225g caster sugar

225g softened butter or cake spread *

3 large eggs (at room temperature)*

Grated zest of 3 unwaxed lemons

200g ground almonds100g polenta

1 heaped tsp baking powder*

6 tablespoons (75ml approx.) Wardington’s Original Triplecello liqueur

*replace with dairy free alternatives to make this vegan suitable (gluten and dairy free).  If cooking for gluten free/coeliac, ensure the baking powder is labelled as gluten free (most are now).

Syrup

Juice of 1 lemon 

1-2 tablespoon (15-25g) caster or granulated sugar (keep some for sprinkling as decoration)

1-2 tablespoon (15-30ml) Wardington’s Original Triplecello Liqueur

1 x 20cm loose bottomed or spring form round tin, greased and lined with baking/greaseproof paper Oven pre-heated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4

METHOD

Beat the caster sugar and butter/spread together until light and creamy.  You can do this by hand in a large bowl (and earn yourself a slice of cake) but a mixer will make light work of it.

Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat fast and well between adding eggs.  It is inevitable the mixture will split a little at this stage –don’t panic (it is more likely to happen if eggs are fridge cold as they’ll harden up the fat).

Add about two thirds of the lemon zest (keep some back for decorating), ground almonds, polenta and baking powder and mix well to incorporate and then add the Triplecello liqueur.

Pour the batter into prepared tin and bake for 35-45 minutes.  A skewer/knife should come out just clean and the sides of the cake should slightly shrink away from the tin.

TIP: If the cake browns too fast, cover with the top with foil but then check every few minutes.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes or so and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

As the cake is cooling, place the syrup lemon juice and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to a boil briefly, ensuring the sugar is dissolved.  Allow to cool slightly, then add the Triplecello.

Carefully spoon the syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in.

Decorate the cake by sprinkling with sugar and the remaining lemon zest.

As they say in Amalfi –‘a tavola!’