I love this cookbook and would recommend it based on a lot of use. It makes me try new things and is not overly complicated (some of my favourite recipes are from this book). It makes use of new ingredients that aren’t rogue, just not used very much in most kitchens. I am gluten free and this cake was naturally gluten free, made with a new ‘flour’ I have not come across in cakes before – polenta. I would recommend it just as the recipe reads however, I did find the 150ml elderflower cordial to be slightly too pungent, and will next time try lower it to 100ml. I also think the icing doesn’t need the elderflower.
Put oven on 200°C.
200g pistachios kernels (original recipe said 250g but I don’t think it needs it) – quickly blended in food processor to make almond flour like texture, put a tbs aside for topping
Juice and grated skin of 1 lemon
Mix 125g of butter with 250g of light brown sugar add 125g of greek yogurt and mix well, it may form clumps if butter and yoghurt is cold, this didn’t impact outcome too much once mixed with the dry ingredients.
Add 200g polenta, 1tsp baking powder, pistachios and lemon to the mixture and mix well. Add in three eggs and mix.
Transfer to a loaf form and bake in the oven for 45min +10 min, add tinfoil on top halfway through to stop the top of the cake from browning too much. When it is ready it should be almost a little too moist but sit still in the form when wiggled. If overcooked it will be slightly dry so dare to take it out just slightly (5 min or so) before you think it is ready, it will ‘dry’ when taken out.
Let the cake cool in the loaf tin until it is moderately warm, then make holes in the cake with a wooden skewer or chopstick and pour 100ml elderflower cordial over it (recipe says 150ml). Let it sit and soak until it is almost cold (it tastes good to serve just slightly warm).
Mix 200g cream cheese with 6tbs icing sugar and 1tsp elderflower cordial (I have doubled the amount from the recipe and also replaced 1tbs with 1sp of elderflower cordial here, it also says to pour it over the cake but I preferred serving it with cream cheese frosting by proportion so it stays better for longer).
Serve a slice with a generous tablespoon of frosting and a sprinkle of the pistachios.
The cookbook that the recipe is from is: Anna Jones, a modern way to eat
A lonely food diary 