Fine Polenta For Lemon Cake

Our answer

Nigella's Lemon Polenta Cake (from KITCHEN) is an extremely popular gluten-free cake made with fine polenta and ground almonds (almond meal). The combination gives a very moist and tender texture. The polenta needs to be the type that cooks in about 30 minutes and not instant polenta, which takes less than 5 minutes to cook, or coarse polenta, which can take a very long time to cook.

We do not think that a corn-based gluten-free couscous would be a good alternative as it is quite coarse and also cooks very quickly (by soaking in just-boiled water). When couscous is made the cereal used is cooked, made into a type of pasta and then dried, which changes the way it absorbs liquids. Unfortunately this will affect the texture of the finished cake. However, fine cornmeal can be used in the cake and this can be found in larger UK supermarkets and is also available on-line.