Lemon and Lavender Polenta Cake

We love to bake with the ingredients from our garden, and one of our most favourite recipes is a cake baked with spring lavender grown in our garden and fresh lemons.

After such a cold winter, the promise of spring and warmth is enough to bring joy to many households. This recipe will heighten's spirits, from the heady scent of lavender and sharp citrus tang from the lemon. Also perfect for anyone who may be Gluten-free and to make the recipe vegan, swap the butter and egg for vegan alternatives.

Ingredients:

200g soft unsalted butter

200g caster sugar

200g ground almonds

100g polenta

1½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder

3 large eggs

Zest of 2 lemons

For the Syrup:

Juice of 2 lemons

125g icing sugar

2 teaspoons dried lavender

Method:

1. Line the base of a cake tin with baking parchment and grease the sides lightly.

2. Preheat the over to 180C / Gas Mark 4.

3. Beat the butter and sugar till pale and whipped, either by hand or in a bowl with a wooden spoon or a mixer.

4. Mix together the Almonds, Polenta ans Baking Powder, and beat some of this into the butter-sugar mix,

followed by 1 egg, then alternate dry ingredients and eggs, beating all the while.

5. Finally beat in the lemon zest and pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

6. Due to this cake being flourless it may seem still undercooked after the 40 minutes, but check the cake with a

skewer and if it comes out cleanish the cake is ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack

in the tin.

7. Make the syrup by dissolving the sugar on a low heat with the lemon juice, once dissolved add the lavender

to infuse into the syrup.

8. Once the cake has cooled, prick the cake and pour the warm syrup over the cake, leave the syrup to cool

before taking it out of the tin.

We hope you enjoy the recipe as much as we do, perfect on a spring afternoon with a pot of fresh peppermint tea.

If you are inspired by the recipe, how about trying The Dirt Creative Scent Number 54 Lavender and Lime Collection. Which also includes dried spring lavender from The Dirt Creative Garden.