If you prefer your cake without the added vegetables, we also have a lemon polenta cake with lemon compote.
Lemon and zucchini polenta cake
A nonna’s favourite made healthier with the addition of zucchini – and it’s gluten-free to boot!
- 1 hr 50 mins cooking
- Serves 12
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Ingredients
- 2 cups (400g) firmly packed coarsely grated zucchini (see notes)
- 350 grams butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (440g) raw caster sugar
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 3 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- 1½ cups (240g) polenta
- 3⅓ cups (400g) almond meal
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
- ⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice
- greek-style yoghurt, to serve
Candied lemon slices
- 3 small lemons (300g), sliced thinly
- ½ cup (110g) raw caster sugar
Orange blossom syrup
- 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
- 1 tablespoon coarsely grated lemon rind
- 1 cup (360g) honey
Method
- 1Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease a 7cm-deep, 26cm round springform pan. Line base and sides with three layers of baking paper, extending paper 5cm above the edge.
- 2Squeeze out excess liquid from zucchini and discard liquid. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.
- 3Fold in zucchini, baking powder, polenta, almond meal, rind and juice. Spoon mixture into pan and loosely cover with foil.
- 4Bake on the lowest shelf of the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- 5Make candied lemon slices and orange blossom syrup.
- 6Use a long skewer to pierce surface of hot cake several times. Drizzle with ⅓ cup (80ml) of the hot syrup. Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes.
- 7Transfer cake, top-side up, to a wire rack to cool.
- 8Place cake on a plate or stand. Top with candied lemon slices and yoghurt, then drizzle with remaining syrup.
Candied lemon slices
- 9Increase oven temperature to 200°C/180°C fan. Grease and line two oven trays with baking paper. Combine lemon and sugar in a medium bowl. Place slices in a single layer on trays. Bake for 15 minutes or until beginning to brown. Cool.
Orange blossom syrup
- 10Stir ingredients and 2 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan over low heat until melted and combined, then bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 1 minute.