48 minutes
A delightful lemony polenta cake with rich brown butter flavor, perfect for a special treat.
Unsalted Butter, browned
0 oz
cups
Confectioners’ Sugar
cups
Cake Flour
cups
Coarse Cornmeal
cups
each
teaspoons
Lemon Zest, finely chopped
each
1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan to ensure the cake doesn't stick.
2. Brown the Butter
In a small heavy saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue to cook it, swirling occasionally, until it turns an amber brown color and emits a nutty aroma. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and set aside to cool.
3. Prepare Almond Mixture
If using whole almonds, combine them with 1 cup of the confectioners’ sugar in a food processor and grind until fine. This mixture can be used in place of almond flour. Sift the remaining confectioners’ sugar, almond flour or ground almond mixture, cake flour, and coarse cornmeal together to remove any lumps and ensure a smooth batter.
4. Beat Egg Whites
Beat the egg whites with the salt in a large bowl using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. This step incorporates air into the batter, making the cake light and fluffy.
5. Fold Ingredients
Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture. Once fully incorporated, fold in the cooled brown butter and finely chopped lemon zest.
6. Bake the Cake
Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 23 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.
7. Cool and Serve
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes. Then, invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely.
Replace the lemon zest and juice with that of an orange, and add ground almonds to the batter. This results in a cake with a gentle citrus flavor and a hint of nuttiness.
Swap out lemon for other citrus fruits like orange, lime, or grapefruit for a different but equally vibrant flavor. Use a combination of citrus zests and juices to create a more complex citrus profile.
Substitute the butter with olive oil and add fresh chopped rosemary. This creates an aromatic, herb-infused cake that's less rich but incredibly moist.
Fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter to make a fruity and colorful cake, perfect for summer gatherings.
Introduce chocolate chips or chunks into the batter and reduce the amount of lemon to create a sweet and familiar chocolatey dessert with a delightful cornmeal texture.
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