The August bank holiday has fallen a little early this year and, weather permitting, the long weekend should be the perfect time to have a family picnic. Yorkshire brand Cartwright & Butler has created some sumptuous summer picnic recipes including this lemon and raspberry polenta cake.

  • Medium

Ingredients

  • 150g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 180g ground almonds
  • 85g fine polenta
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 1 lemon
  • For the lemon syrup:
  • 2 tbsp Cartwright & Butler Lemon Curd
  • 25ml boiling water
  • For the topping:
  • 150ml double cream
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 250g ricotta cheese
  • 100g fresh raspberries
  • 1 tbsp Cartwright & Butler Lemon Curd

Method

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan/gas 4.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the almonds, polenta, baking powder and eggs until all the ingredients are well combined and a thick batter has formed.

Finely grate in the zest of the lemon along with the juice. Whisk together all the ingredients before pouring into the pre-greased and lined loaf tin. Bake in the oven for 40 – 45 minutes until golden and cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin. Loosen the lemon curd with boiling water to create a lemon syrup. Using a thin skewer, poke 10 – 12 holes into the cake and drizzle over the syrup allowing to soak in.

When the cake is completely cool, carefully remove from the tin and place on a serving plate. Make the ricotta topping by whipping together the cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence to soft peaks. Gradually fold in the ricotta to incorporate all the ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, generously spoon the ricotta mixture on top of the cake. Scatter with raspberries and drizzle on the lemon curd (gently warm in the microwave to loosen).

About The Author

Catherine Scott is Associate Features Editor for Yorkshire Post Newspapers. A self-confessed foodie, she is also a judge of the Deliciousyorkshire/Yorkshire Post Taste Awards.

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