Cinnamon polenta cake with rhubarb

A simple cinnamon cake with rhubarb, made with finely ground cornmeal (polenta). It’s a versatile cake you can bake all year round – simply swap the fruit depending on the season, and replace the cinnamon with spices like cardamom and finely grated citrus zest. The cornmeal (yellow polenta, not cornflour) absorbs the juices released by the fruit, in this case rhubarb. Served warm, it tastes wonderful with ice cream, and once cooled it makes a lovely afternoon cake to enjoy with tea.

Ingredients for cinnamon polenta cake with rhubarb:

• 500 g rhubarb
• 270 g caster sugar
• 150 g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 155 g finely ground cornmeal (polenta)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 125 g butter
• 250 g natural yoghurt

All ingredients should be at room temperature. Cut the rhubarb into 1 cm pieces. Mix in a bowl with 100 g of the sugar and set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter with the remaining 170 g sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and mix. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the plain flour together with the cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda directly into the mixture. Add the cornmeal alternately with the yoghurt in two batches, gently folding with a spatula just until combined. Add the prepared rhubarb (together with any juices released) and mix gently.

Line the base of a 23 cm round cake tin with baking paper. Transfer the batter to the tin and level the surface.

Bake at 170°C for about 50–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. The cake can also be served warm with ice cream.

Before serving, dust lightly with icing sugar.

Enjoy!