For the cake you need
Oven: 170°C/150°C fan.
Grease and line a 23cm diameter cake pan
250g polenta
100g light brown sugar, blitzed in the processor to make castor sugar (unless you are able to buy golden castor sugar)
100g ground almonds or almond flour
25g desiccated coconut
10ml baking powder
3 large eggs
100ml olive oil
50ml honey
Zest of 2 medium sized lemons
Zest of 1 lime, or extra lemon if lime is not available
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime (or an extra lemon)
For the lemon syrup
50ml sugar
Juice of 1 lime or lemon, about 25ml
5 cardamom pods, crushed
15ml boiling water
15ml rose water
To finish and serve
Strips of lemon zest
Greek style yogurt
Optional, Peppery style olive oil and sea salt in a grinder
To prepare the cake
Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan. Grease (spray) and line a 23cm diameter cake tin and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (polenta, ground almonds, desiccated coconut, baking powder and caster sugar).
In a second bowl, beat together the wet ingredients (eggs, olive oil, honey, lemon juice, lime juice, lime zest and lemon zest).
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir slowly but thoroughly until just combined. Be careful not to over-mix!
Pour the combined mixture into your greased cake tin and pop into the middle of the oven for 25-35 minutes or until a knife or skewer can be inserted and taken out of the middle of the cake clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes, pour half of the syrup over, before turning the cake onto a cake stand or plate.
Pour the remaining syrup over the cake, allowing it to soak in.
For the lemon syrup
Lightly crush the cardamom pods. Pour 15ml of boiling water into a saucepan along with the sugar, lemon juice and cardamom pods and heat on high until boiling and starting to thicken. Strain to remove the pods. Add the rose water. Remove from the heat and drizzle evenly over the top of the cake.
To finish
Using a zester cut threads of zest (or cut strips using a vegetable peeler and a sharp knife)
Scatter the strips of lemon zest over the cake.
Serve with thick, creamy yoghurt
For a sublime flavour treat, sprinkle about 5-10 ml olive oil over the cake and add a twist of coarse sea salt!
This is a very moist cake making it suitable for dessert. It will keep for 3-4 days.