Full question
Hi! I absolutely loved the recipe for Apricot and Almond Cake. But I can't get hold of polenta. Can I substitute it with something like semolina or more ground almonds? Thank you!
Our answer
Nigella's Apricot Almond Cake With Rosewater And Cardamom (from SIMPLY NIGELLA) is made with a mixture of ground almonds (almond meal) and fine polenta. The oil in the almonds provides the fat for the cake. It is possible to use extra ground almonds if you can't find polenta, but the cake will be damper and moister than the original version and it may sink slightly in the middle.
Fine ground semolina is sometimes used as an alternative to polenta, but it is made with durum wheat instead of corn and it may absorb slightly more liquid than the polenta. The cake is quite moist so this should not be a big problem but the cake may be slightly more crumbly. Please note that if you use semolina then the cake will no longer be gluten free so if you need a gluten free cake then ground almonds would be the most appropriate alternative.
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