Lemon Almond Polenta Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl, mix salt, cornmeal and baking powder and set it aside.
3. Whip out the food processor and throw in the almonds and 1c of the sugar. Grind them until they make a slightly coarse mixture. This will partner with the cornmeal to work as the “flour” part of the cake.
4. Cut the lemon into quarters and remove seeds. Add the lemon pieces to the almond mixture (Yes, rind, peel and all. Just plop it on in there).
5. Pulse the lemons and almonds until mixture forms a coarse puree. Taste it for sweetness and add the remaining 1/2c of sugar if you’d like.
6. Add the butter, milk, eggs and vanilla to the food processor. Process 1-2 minutes, until everything is nicely combined.
7. Add cornmeal to mixture and combine.
8. Divide the batter into cups and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

I topped mine with a small amount of lemon frosting and some almonds. They were very delightful. The cake is very moist and hearty and not too sweet. Delicious.