Polenta Cake
This cake has a lovely rich, buttery, citrus flavour. Pouring the syrup over the warm cake at the end is key to keeping the cake full of moisture.
PREP TIME
60
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
30
MINUTES
Ingredients
For the orange layer:
1 large orange (unwaxed if possible)
100g golden caster sugar
80ml water
For the cake:
250g soft butter
zest 2 lemons
½ tbs lemon juice
220g golden caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
150g ground almonds
225g fine polenta
1 tbs soft muscovado sugar
Method
Line an 8-inch round tin with parchment. I use either a loose-bottom or spring-form tin. Preheat your oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.
Slice the orange into thin rounds, about ½ a centimetre in thickness. Take out and discard any pips. Add the 100g of golden caster sugar into a saucepan, along with the 80mls of water.
Gently add in the orange slices. Bring the pan to a simmer, then gently cook the orange slices for 10 minutes. Remove the fruit from the sugar syrup and leave to cool.
Beat the butter, zest and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the egg yolks, beating well. Stir in the juice, ground almonds and polenta with a wooden spoon.
Whip the egg whites, until soft peaks form.
Carefully fold the egg whites into the polenta mixture.
Arrange the orange slices in the base of the tin and keep the syrup for later use. Overlap the slices slightly to cover as much of the base of the tin as possible.
Scoop the polenta mixture on top of the orange slices and gently flatten it down.
Bake for 60 minutes in the centre of your oven or until golden on top.
Spoon the syrup evenly over the hot cake. Allow to cool in the tin.
When cooled, turn the cake upside down and pour a little more syrup over the top.
