Almond Lemon Cake

Does anyone remember watching ‘ Love Actually’? It’s a 2003 production with an all (English)- star cast including Hugh Grant (my favourite actor of all time!) Colin Firth and Emma Thompson. I watched it for the 100th (ok, I exaggerate) time last weekend. It was hilarious! It’s a blockbuster film that explores the ups and downs of relationships in the weeks building up to Christmas.





Boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, fathers and sons and rock stars and managers all combine to make ‘ Love Actually’ not just one story but ten very different ones. I enjoyed it tremendously with my family, even though there were bits where I had to ask the kids to shut their eyes. It was one of the few movies we brought home to watch over the school holidays. Yes, School Holidays are here, YAY!! I just love it when I can spend days on end with my children, it’s a luxury that I indulge in, even though it means putting blogging, housework, and everything else aside for a while.





Oh, if you haven’t watched ‘Love Actually’, watch it, it’s a really worthwhile film. Why, any film with Hugh Grant is a worthwhile film. We watched ‘Music and Lyrics’ ( Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, my favourite actress) recently and it was so funny, at least I thought it was funny even though the reviews weren’t that fab. Well, the girls and I have a heap of activities that we’ve planned for the next two weeks, so if I am a little slow coming by to say hello or answering any questions or e-mails that you might send me, please excuse me.





Today’s recipe of ‘Almond Lemon Cake’ is adapted from the April 2007 issue of Gourmet Traveller,and is inspired by London’s River Café. I love this Golden fragrant Lemon cake with its sandy texture from the addition of Polenta. Ricotta cheese and honey also add interest to the beautiful flavour. This cake is originally served with roasted Plums, and since I’ve never been big on cooked fruit, I have omitted it from the recipe.











ALMOND LEMON CAKE
Serves 10 (this recipe may be halved)

450g salted butter
450g caster sugar
6 eggs
450g almond meal
225g fine polenta
Finely grated rind of 4 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
400g ricotta
2tbsp honey
Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 160C. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, and then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the almond meal, and then add polenta, lemon rind and juice. Add the ricotta ad honey and stir until just combined, trying to keep walnut size lumps of ricotta throughout the mixture.

Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased and baking-paper lined 26cm-diameter cake pan. Bake for 1 hour or until golden and a skewer withdraws clean when inserted. Cool completely in the pan before turning out and serving, dusted with icing sugar.