Ingredients

  • For the cake
  • 200 grams unsalted butter, softened, plus some to grease the cake pan
  • 170 grams caster or natural cane sugar
  • 100 grams cake flour (all-purpose flour also works)
  • 200 grams instant polenta or cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 medium eggs
  • 2 lemons, zest of
  • 1 lemon, juice of
  • 1 teaspoon dried lavender
  • For the syrup
  • 2 lemons, juice of
  • 125 grams caster sugar
  • 1/4 cup icing sugar, for serving

Method

  • Line the base of a 23-centimeter (9-inch) springform cake tin (a slightly smaller one will work as well) with baking parchment and grease sides lightly with butter.
  • Preheat the oven to 350° F (180° C).
  • Beat the butter and sugar till pale and whipped, 3 to 5 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together flour, polenta, and baking powder, then beat some of this into the butter/sugar mixture, followed by one egg. Alternate adding dry ingredients and eggs, beating all the while.
  • Finally, beat in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and lavender. Then pour, spoon, or scrape the mixture into your prepared tin and bake in the oven, about 40 minutes. (Please remember that depending on altitude, cooking times can change. Higher altitudes usually require a slightly longer time.)
  • It may seem a bit wobbly but, if the cake is cooked, a cake tester (I actually just use a slender steak knife) should come out clean. Transfer it from oven to a wire cooling rack, but leave in its tin.
  • Make the syrup by boiling together the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan.
  • Once the sugar has dissolved into the juice, leave it for about one minute more and then you're done.
  • Prick the top of the cake all over with a cake tester, fork, or skewer. Be careful not to tear the cake too much if using a fork or a skewer, as it is delicate. Pour the warm syrup over the cake, and leave to cool before taking it out of its tin.
  • Before serving, sprinkle icing sugar (using a sieve) over the top of the cake. Then slice and serve.