Orange, Polenta and Almond Cake

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Orange cake is probably the one cake I just can’t stop making in the winter. I always have oranges at home, and it’s a quick and easy cake everyone likes.

This orange cake is quite special, as it combines polenta (cornmeal) in the batter. The result is a moist, melt-in-your-mouth cake that spreads the most addictive scent all over the house when baking. So good!

Orange, Polenta and Almond Cake

Photo: Natalie Levin

Orange, Polenta and Almond Cake 

For the cake:
150 grams soft butter
200 grams (1 cup) sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
60 ml. (1/4 cup) orange juice
zest of 2 oranges
200 grams almond meal
100 grams instant polenta mix
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
50-80 grams sliced blanched almonds

For the syrup:
180 ml. (3/4 cup) orange juice
150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar

Icing sugar for serving

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 170c degrees and grease the pan.
  2. In a bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, mix butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until mixture is creamy.
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, while mixing between additions.
  4. Add orange juice and zest and mix until incorporated.
  5. Add almond meal, polenta, cornstarch and baking powder and mix just until incorporated.
  6. Pour the mixture into the pan, and smooth the top.
  7. Sprinkle sliced ​​almonds on top and bake for about 35-45 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
  8. Cool completely at room temperature.
  9. Orange syrup: put orange juice and sugar in a small pot and cook until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil.
  10. Brush the cake generously with hot syrup and let it absorb the liquid for at least an hour at room temperature.
  11. Serve with powdered sugar.

Notes:

  • Keep the cake in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • Serve the cake at room temperature.
  • The cake goes down slightly at the center when cooking and that’s fine.