Serves 6-8

Limoncello, a popular Italian lemon liqueur, injects moisture and a refreshing tang to this flourless cake. If you don’t have a bottle of limoncello in your drinks cabinet, make up a batch of lemon syrup using the juice of a lemon, 4 tablespoons of caster sugar, 3-4 tablespoons of water and, if you wish, a splash of vodka. Boil the liquid for a few minutes until syrupy, then pour over the warm cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.

2 unwaxed lemons
4 large eggs
200g caster sugar
75g fine polenta
150g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
5-6 tbsp limoncello, to drizzle

1 Put the lemons in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 1-11/2 hours until the lemons are really soft, skin and all. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.
2 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Lightly grease and line the sides and base of a 21cm-square tin. Quarter the cooked lemons and discard the pips. Put into a food processor or blender and whiz to a smooth paste.
3 Beat the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy. Fold through the lemons, polenta, ground almonds and baking powder. Quickly transfer to the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
4 Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool slightly. While still warm, pierce liberally with a skewer, then drizzle over the limoncello. (The cake will absorb the liquid best when warm.) Leave to cool completely, then unmould and cut into squares to serve. Delicious with Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche spiked with a little more limoncello.

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