Baking for Beginners: Apple, Honey And Polenta Cake

Shana Tova to anyone celebrating Rosh Hashanah this week! Rosh Hashanah is Jewish New Year - a time to reflect on the past year, consider your priorities and think about what you want from the coming year. Oh, and eat cake. Jewish festivals are excellent at matching the cause for celebration with an appropriate pudding, and this one is no exception. Apples and honey will bring you sweetness for the coming year.

Adding cinnamon, a spice I associate with autumn, is a reminder that summer's coming to an end, but the joys of a new season are on the way (tights, mulling, cardigans, good telly). You don't have to be religious to take five minutes to have a cup of tea, a piece of cake, and a little think about what you want from the rest of 2012.

Apple, honey and polenta cake

You will need:

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 250g unsalted butter
• 250g caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 200g self-raising flour, sifted
• 200g polenta
• 100ml milk
• 3 medium eating apples
• 60ml honey

Make it!

1. Grease a medium-sized cake tin and dust with the cinnamon. Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
2. Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.
3. Add the flour and polenta and fold in until fully incorporated. Pour in the milk so the batter has a "dropping"consistency - it should easily drop off a spoon.
4. Peel the apples. Quarter the first one and cut each piece into thin slices. Line the cake tin with these. Chop the rest of apples into small chunks, mix with the honey, and stir into the cake batter.
5. Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until golden-brown. 
6. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Enjoy a slice with a cup of tea and do all you can to have a good and sweet year.