Honey, Almond, Pistachio and Polenta Citrus Cake

Honey, Almond, Pistachio and Polenta Citrus Cake

I love this cake warmed with a heaped tablespoon of yoghurt and a plate of berries (or plums, or peaches, or lemon curd)

Ingredients:

5 Large Eggs (I use 6 if using small eggs)

240g Caster Sugar

1 Lemon, Zested and Juiced

1 Orange, Zested and Juiced

200g Almond Meal

75g Polenta

230 mL Greek Yoghurt

150mL Olive Oil, plus a little extra for greasing the tin

50mL Rice Bran Oil

150g Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

2 handfulls of pistachio nuts, shelled

3 large Tablespoons Honey

1. Beat eggs and caster sugar together with an electric beater until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in the lemon and orange zest.

3. Add almond, polenta, yoghurt and oils.

4. Fold in flour and baking powder.

5. Pour into a spring form tin which is lined with baking paper.

6. Bake at 160 for about 1hour until a cake tester come out clean and top is firm.

7. Turn out onto a plate and allow to cool.

8. Toast pistachio nuts in a fry pan. Add honey and the juice of the orange and lemon to form a syrup.

9. Pour the hot syrup over the cake and allow the cake to absorb it.

10. Serve with youghurt.

Baking: Herritage Azores Cake (Island Cake - Bolo da ilha)

Heritage Azores Cake (Island Cake - Bolo da ilha)

My Nannys (grandmothers) family originally came from the Azores (Portuguese island inbetween Portugal and the USA). This cake originates from there (I found it as part of an ancestry project when I was at high school) and has become a cake i make about once or twice a year. The original icing recipe was not quite right, so that has been adapted but apart from that it is quite authentic.

 Ingredients:

5 Eggs

3/4 Cup Sugar

Just under 1 Cup Flour

2 Dessertspoons Dutched Cocoa

2 Tablespoons Honey

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 150C.

2. Beat eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

3. Add honey and beat until combined.

3. Add flour, cocoa and cinnamon and mix fold into mixture.

4. Pour into a greased and floured pan and back for 35 minutes.

5. Allow to cool.

6. Cut cake in half (through the middle), and fill centre with half icing.

7. Place top of cake back on and ice top of cake aswell.

Icing
Ingredients:
250g Butter
1 Cup Icing Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
100g Chocolate, Melted

Beat all ingredients together until pale and fluffy.

We ate this for a treat after lunch one very hot day while on holiday (hence why it melted).