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1. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases and heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Add the polenta and continue to whisk until combined. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time.
2. Sift in flour and baking powder, then fold in quickly with a large spoon or spatula until you have a thick batter (the mixture may look lumpy because of the polenta). Stir in the milk to loosen, then gently fold in the chopped strawberries. Divide the mixture between the paper cases, then bake for 20 mins or until golden, risen and springy to touch. Cool for a few mins, then place the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely. The cakes can now be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.
3. Carefully peel the cases off the cakes. Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl. Place the chopped strawberries in a bowl with 1 tsp lemon juice and mash with a fork until pulpy. Push through a sieve over the icing sugar (you only need a few drops of juice to colour the icing a rosy pink). Stir in more lemon juice, a dribble at a time, until you have a thick yet fluid paste. Dip the top of each cake into the icing, then top immediately with a strawberry half. Leave to set, then serve.

Per cake

271 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 12 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 1g, salt 0.19 g

Latest comments and suggestions

• Julie

  01 August 2008

  Julie commented on this recipe

  This recipe is lovely, I urge everyone to try it, so simple but really, really delicious, I made two batches in one morning, and they were all eaten in the same day ...... they look lovely as well. I have since substituted the strawberries for rasberries, and an other batch with cherries.... just as delicious, the polenta gives as coconut texture...... as I say, really nice.

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• Sharon

  06 August 2008

  Sharon rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Fabulous as a cake, I doubled the recipe and made 2x7" cakes.

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• sandie

  11 August 2008

  sandie rated and commented on this recipe

  

  made these cakes at the weekend could not get polenta so I used coconut. They were really nice would make then again.

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• Mrsnoonoo

  20 August 2008

  Mrsnoonoo rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Really nice, Will be making again.

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• Beth

  25 August 2008

  Beth rated this recipe

  

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• Bowerbird

  01 September 2008

  Bowerbird rated and commented on this recipe

  

  These cakes are a visual delight, they're a little grainy in texture and not too sweet, and very filling, they went down well. Don't leave the strawberries on the top for too long, after a day it had virtually soaked up the icing sugar, still tasty though. <a href="http://bowerbird-illustration.blogspot.com/2008/08/birthday-boy.html">Take a look.</a>

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• Bowerbird

  01 September 2008

  Bowerbird commented on this recipe

  These cakes are a visual delight, they're a little grainy in texture and not too sweet, and very filling, they went down well. Don't leave the strawberries on the top for too long, after a day it had virtually soaked up the icing sugar, still tasty though. Take a look. http://bowerbird-illustration.blogspot.com/2008/08/birthday-boy.html

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• amandamagpie

  22 September 2008

  amandamagpie commented on this recipe

  Made these at the weekend and my whole family loved them. Very easy recipe and lovely texture. I agree about not leaving the strawberries on top too long because they made the icing go a bit strange. Will definitely make them again and will try other soft fruit.

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• bethany

  05 November 2008

  bethany commented on this recipe

  i really want to make these cakes but have no idea where to get polenta. Will cornflower do?

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• Blackcat2

  12 January 2009

  Blackcat2 rated and commented on this recipe

  

  These went down so well at work I made another batch for family at the weekend. The polenta makes the cakes really interesting with the grainy texture.

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• Jay

  11 February 2009

  Jay rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Tried this for my Girlfriend and went down a treat. Although as I am only a bigginer to baking I did not know that Polenta comes in 2 types. A loose form and a solid brick. So that took some beating to get it to the right consistancy. But really did the trick.

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• rochydooda

  25 June 2009

  rochydooda commented on this recipe

  Really want to try this recipe, but don't know where to get polenta from. Does anyone know of a good substitute?

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• pinkie

  06 July 2009

  pinkie rated and commented on this recipe

  

  Lovely texture, used loganberries instead of strawberries and omitted the lemon.

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• jojocooks

  09 August 2009

  jojocooks commented on this recipe

  Really want to try this recipe, but don't know where to get polenta from. Does anyone know of a good substitute? sometimes called cornmeal, most supermarkets stock it as good substitute for flour for gluten free people.

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• Sarah

  27 October 2009

  Sarah rated and commented on this recipe

  

  I have just made these today and the icing is incredible. It tastes so much nicer than normal icing with food colouring. It tastes so natural. I took the advice about the strawberries on top and just put some on a few of the cakes which were eaten today.

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Ingredients

• 140g unsalted butter , softened
• 140g golden caster sugar
• grated zest ½ lemon
• 85g polenta
• 3 eggs , beaten
• 140g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp milk
• 140g strawberries , hulled and chopped into chunks

TO DECORATE

• 140g icing sugar
• 3 strawberries , hulled and roughly chopped, plus 6 halved, for decoration
• lemon juice

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Difficulty and servings

Makes 12 cakes

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 15 mins

Cook 20 mins

un-iced

Ingredients

• 140g unsalted butter , softened
• 140g golden caster sugar
• grated zest ½ lemon
• 85g polenta
• 3 eggs , beaten
• 140g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp milk
• 140g strawberries , hulled and chopped into chunks

TO DECORATE

• 140g icing sugar
• 3 strawberries , hulled and roughly chopped, plus 6 halved, for decoration
• lemon juice

Per cake

271 kcalories, protein 4g, carbohydrate 40g, fat 12 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 1g, salt 0.19 g

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