How to make apricot polenta cake

Polenta cake is always popular on the counter and at events, and adding apricots make it extra delicious and Summery!

Ingredients

8 fresh apricots, cut in half and stoned

75ml water

125g granulated sugar

125ml milk

200g butter at room temperature cubed (50g of this is for the apricot syrup on top)

150g caster sugar

2 large eggs, beaten lightly

1 lemon, zested

50g plain flour

50g fine ground polenta

1½ tsp baking powder

100g ground almonds

3 tbsp apricot jam

Preheat oven to 200C/180C gas 6

Apricots for the top:

Heat the sugar and water until it forms a syrup and becomes  dark and syrupy.

Take off the heat and melt in the 50g of butter

Place the apricots in the base of of the tin (8inch) and pour over the syrup.

Now to make the cake:

Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Incorporate the beaten egg and lemon zest. Fold in the dry ingredients and add the milk. Pour the cake mix into the tin, over the apricots. Bake in the oven for 50mins.  A skewer should come out clean when ready.

Let the cake cool and then tip out of the tin onto a plate with the apricots on the top. You can eat it like this or add the apricot jam glaze by warming the jam with 2 tbsp of water.  Let the mix cool a little then paste the apricots with the jam mix.

Let this set and serve warm with creme fraiche, Greek yoghurt or vanilla ice cream.

It’s also great with a cup of tea on its own.  Such a lovely, Summery cake.