Lemon Polenta Torta with Fruit Compote
Ingredients
For the cake
- Cooking spray and parchment paper
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 cup sugar I added the extra 1/4 cup due to my addition of lemon juice, below
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup reduced-fat buttermilk
- 1/4 cup olive oil I did not use extra-virgin because the taste is so much stronger
- 2 large eggs I use jumbo eggs
- juice from 1/2 of a lemon fresh-squeezed (preferably from Meyer lemons) (my addition that I highly recommend)
- 2 tsps. grated lemon rind
For the winter fruit compote
- 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
- 1/2 cup fresh or dried cranberries
- 1 3/4 cups chopped red-skinned pear about 2
- 1/2 cup golden raisins I eliminated since my husband doesn't like raisins
- 2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
Instructions
To prepare the cake
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray.
- Line bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Coat paper with cooking spray.
- Set aside.
- Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife.
- Combine flour and all dry ingredients (except the lemon zest) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk.
- Make a well in center of mixture.
- Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind, stirring well with a whisk.
- Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until moist.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan.
- Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare the compote
- Combine apple juice and raisins in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat, and cook until reduced to 2/3 cup (about 4 minutes).
- Add cranberries to pan; cook 5 minutes.
- Add pear to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender.
- Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice.
- Top slices of the lemon torta with the fruit compote.