This delicious golden gluten-free Orange Polenta Cake is moist, rich and bursting with zesty orange flavor. It’s easy to make as it has no layers, no filling and no icing.
Eight other women and I organized an in-home cooking class and dinner with Chef Michele Lee-Pollack from My Place For Dinner Cooking School (Toronto, Canada).
The highlight for me was the orange polenta cake. I became obsessed with it. The cake was melt in your mouth and intensely orange which I love.
I finally tried it on my own. I made a couple of mistakes the first two times around, but the cakes were still delicious. My husband and I had no trouble polishing them off. In other words, this cake it pretty forgiving.
The flavor of the cake is scrumptious if you love orange. I serve it with whipped cream which I strongly recommend. The whipped cream balances the intensity of the orange perfectly.
Orange polenta cake is great for any occasion, but particularly fitting for a shower, tea or brunch. Scratch that. It’s great after dinner too 🙂
Tips
- Which polenta or cornmeal is best to use? Polenta is, in fact, cornmeal, but usually medium or coarse-ground. The first time I made the cake, I used medium ground cornmeal and found it too gritty. It got less grainy in the fridge as the days went by though. The second time I used finely ground cornmeal – much better. So I do suggest a finer ground cornmeal.
- Ideally, you should use a scale to measure the dry ingredients in grams. If you don’t have one, I converted everything to cups in the recipe below.
Tailor to Your Taste
- I love this cake with whipped cream best, but other good options are creme fraiche, yogurt or even lemon ice cream. Or nothing.
- Instead of chopped pistachios as a garnish, try roasted hazelnuts.
- I cut back the honey from the original recipe as I found the cake a little sweet for my taste. If you prefer it sweeter, add a bit more honey or pour more syrup onto the cake.
Make Ahead Orange Polenta Cake
- The cake can be made ahead and kept covered in the fridge. I suggest bringing it to room temperature before serving or warming it for a few seconds in the microwave.
- The cake can also be frozen. If freezing, omit the zest and pistachios (if using) and add them before serving.
Other delicious cakes you might like:
- moist apple cake recipe with bourbon caramel sauce
- best banana cake with chocolate icing
- carrot and pineapple cake
Ingredients: Polenta or finely ground cornmeal (preferred), vanilla, almond flour, oranges, eggs, butter, pistachios, baking powder, cardamom
Grease an 8″ cake pan or springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment.
Make the batter.
While the cake is baking, make the syrup with honey and orange juice. And prepare the pistachios and orange zest garnishes.
Poke holes in the cooled cake with a cake tester.
Pour half the syrup over the cake.
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- Garnish cake with pistachios and orange zest.
Serve with whipped cream and additional syrup if desired.
Orange Polenta Cake (gluten free)
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups finely ground almonds or almond flour (225 gm)
- 2/3 cup cornmeal or polenta (100 gm). I prefer finer grind cornmeal as the texture is less grainy.
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1 tsp baking powder gluten free
- 1 cup white sugar (200 gm)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) (225 gm)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- zest from 2 medium oranges (plus zest from a 3rd orange for garnish)
- Optional garnishes: chopped pistachios, additional zest, whipped cream (or yogurt or creme fraiche)
Syrup (half will be used for pouring on cake, half for serving)
- juice from 2 oranges (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- PREHEAT OVEN TO 350F. Grease an 8 inch (20 cm) round, square or springform pan with butter or oil spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
- COMBINE FIRST 4 INGREDIENTS: Mix together ground almonds, cornmeal/polenta, cardamom and baking powder in a bowl.
- PREPARE BATTER: In a separate mixing bowl, beat together sugar and butter until fluffy using an electric beater. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each egg. Add half the dry ingredients and beat just until mixed. Repeat with other half. Fold in vanilla and zest of 2 oranges.
- BAKE: Pour batter (it will be very thick) into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until cake test/toothpick comes out clean. Remove pan and let cool for 10 minutes.
- MAKE SYRUP: While cake is baking, briskly simmer orange juice and honey in a small saucepan until reduced by about half and slightly thickened - about 8-10 minutes. It will still be quite liquidy. Let it cool.
- FINISH CAKE: Scrape a knife around edges of pan to loosen cake. Invert onto plate, then invert it back to a serving plate so that the top is facing up. Poke holes through top all over with skewer or toothpick. Pour about HALF of syrup on cake, allowing it to absorb into the cake. Sprinkle orange zest on top to decorate as well as chopped pistachios if using. Serve with whipped cream, yogurt or creme fraiche if desired - and a drizzle of remaining syrup if you like.
Notes
- The cake can be made ahead and kept covered in the fridge. I suggest bringing it to room temperature before serving or warming it for a few seconds in the microwave.
- The cake can also be frozen. If freezing, omit the zest and pistachios (if using) and add them just before serving.
Nutrition
This orange polenta cake recipe has been updated with tweaked images and new information.
Madelon says
Can the recipe be made with oat flour instead of almond flour: nut allergies
I know the flavour profile will be different but will it still be tasty?
Cheryl says
Hi Madelon, I found this good article on what you can substitute for almond flour https://www.laurafuentes.com/almond-flour-substitute/. It looks like oat flour will work. Thanks for checking in. The article may help other readers as well. Good luck.
Irene Fraser says
Made it, ate it, loved it!!!
Cheryl says
So glad! Love this cake too!
kathy says
Made this for friends with one on that celiac kind of restricted diet! a total winner!
Cheryl says
Glad you enjoyed it Kathy!