Polenta, almond and peach cake

This polenta, almond and peach cake is simply delicious. It’s light, fluffy, delicately flavoured with almonds, filled with juicy slices of peach and topped with crunchy flaked almonds. It’s also naturally gluten-free, provided you use a gluten-free baking powder. Perfect for afternoon tea!

Ingredients for polenta, almond and peach cake:

• 200 g butter, softened
• 180 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 200 g ground almonds
• 100 g fine or medium polenta
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder (gluten-free, if required)
• 1½ peaches, stoned and cut into thin wedges
• flaked almonds, for sprinkling

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the almond extract. Add the ground almonds, polenta and baking powder directly to the bowl, then gently fold everything together with a spatula until just combined.

Line a 22 cm round cake tin with baking paper – I used a tin measuring 20 cm across the base and 23 cm across the top. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and level the surface. Arrange the peach slices on top, slightly overlapping each other, and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake at 175°C for about 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Enjoy!