Honey and Rosemary polenta cake

Photographer: Kate
Serves 8 to 12

This cake actually more closely resembles a flan in terms of consistency and height; a beautiful golden colour it is invitingly moreish, particularly when covered in a lemon and sour cream icing. I have made this cake a couple of times recently – normally on a Sunday afternoon baking session with my little girl – it makes a wonderful sweet snack for the week which we all enjoy.

You could easily omit the rosemary, but in this cake, it doesn’t give a strong flavour, there is just a nice hint, which compliments the honey and the lemon frosting.

INGREDIENTS

Honey and rosemary polenta cake
1/2 cup water
3 large sprigs of rosemary
1 cup polenta
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp butter
3/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 cup ricotta

Lemon and sour cream frosting
200ml sour cream
2-3 tbsp. lemon juice + zest of 1 lemon
2-3 tbsp. icing sugar (personal taste)

METHOD

Cake
1. In a saucepan, bring 1/2 cup of water and 2 springs of rosemary to the boil, reduce the heat to low and allow to infuse.
2. Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 160°C on fan bake and grease/line a 24cm springform tin.
3. In a large bowl, mix polenta, flour, salt, sugar and baking powder together.
4. Finely chop 6-8 rosemary leaves and add to the dry mix from previous step.
5. Take the water/rosemary concoction off from the heat and remove the rosemary sprigs. Add the butter and the honey to the water and stir until the honey is dissolved.
6. Allow the water from step 5 to cool slightly and mix the ricotta and eggs into this – it will look lumpy and slightly curdled.
7. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the saucepan containing the honey/water and stir well.
8. Pour batter into the tin and bake for 35-45 minutes.

Frosting
1. In a bowl add the sour cream, icing sugar and lemon and beat until combined.
2. When the cake is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake.