Kyk, cake!

Since the arrival of my son and heir, aka Wriggly McSqueal, The Milk Bandit, The Limpet, Wurmpie, DJ Hiccup, Die Klein Kak, time to attend to personal matters has evaporated in a haze of 2AM nappy changes and Daddy Epaulettes (regurgitated milk stains on the shoulders of all my shirts). If you'll excuse the mangled metaphor. Anyhoo, we still needs victualling and there have been a procession of (much welcome) well wishers to visit His Lordship and his gibbering parental units. I made this cake for an afternoon tea last week.

Orange, almond and rosemary polenta cake

In a large bowl, stir 200g sugar and ¾ cup olive oil (veg oil will do just as well, you etiolated, hairless non-Mediterranean you). Add 3 beaten eggs and 150g each of polenta and powdered almonds. Add 1 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Now add the zest and juice of 1 orange, 1 tsp finely chopped rosemary and 150g slivered almonds, or toasted and roughly chopped hazelnuts (rub most of the skins off, please).

Spoon the mixture into a non-stick loaf tin, its base lined with a piece of baking paper.

Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C and a further 20-30 minutes at 160°C, testing with a skewer after 45 minutes until said skewer can be introduced into the orange depths and comes out clean.

Meanwhile, make a little syrup to drizzle over the hot cake. In a small saucepan, heat the juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange and 2 tbl honey and reduce for 5 minutes until it becomes a thin syrup.

When you remove the cake from the oven, prick some holes in the top with the skewer (think of something hateful while you do this, it helps to lessen the angst generated by butchering your creation). Pour the syrup slowly over the cake, aiming for those holes.

Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the tin. It will keep well for at least a week in the fridge, and will get better after a day.

I served this with some home-made lemon curd and Greek yoghurt.