This recipe was inspired by the cake of the same name from the River Café Cookbook. It is wonderful served with a little dollop of Greek yoghurt or crème fraiche, and some fresh raspberries or strawberries on the side. It keeps for ages (a couple of weeks) as it is so moist.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

225g soft butter

225g caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

A few drops of almond essence (optional)

200g ground almonds

125g medium polenta (I get this in a health-food shop)

1 tsp baking powder (use gluten-free baking powder if necessary)

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Place a disc of greaseproof paper in the bottom of a 20cm cake tin, that must be 5cm high. Butter the sides of the tin and dust with flour, or polenta.

Cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well, beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the lemon zest and juice, and the almond essence, if using. Fold in the ground almonds, polenta, and the baking powder. Put the cake mixture into the prepared tin, and cook in the preheated oven for 55-70 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Sometimes, depending on the oven, I quickly place a piece of tinfoil on top of the cake after 45 minutes, to prevent it getting too brown.

Take the cake out of the oven when it is cooked, and let it cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before removing it to cool on a wire rack. To serve, dust with a little icing sugar.