Polenta Cake With Orange Glaze Wellplated Com

Put another way, it’s the simple dessert recipe you didn’t know you needed. While I love a decadent Flourless Chocolate Torte or fluffy Lemon Layer Cake as much as the next sane person, sometimes the occasion calls for something a little bit different. Whether it’s a birthday party for a guest who claims not to like cake (ha!), a not-too-sweet dessert for an afternoon tea (or afternoon bubbly), or a lighter-tasting dessert to either a) keep with a breezy summer mood or b) offset a heavier dinner, polenta cake is perfect. Polenta cake is made from polenta (ground cornmeal), almond flour, eggs, sugar, and either butter or olive oil. I also add Greek yogurt and a touch of orange liqueur to make it special. As with my lemon Almond Flour Cake, baking with almond flour leads to a somewhat denser dessert, but I mean “dense” in a very good way! It is so magnificently moist that the cake has some heft to it, but it is not chewy or dry in the slightest. On the contrary, this marvelous cake melts in your mouth. You’ll run your fork around the plate to catch every tender crumb.

How to Make Polenta Cake

The trick to keeping the cake moist without making it overly heavy is the same I use for my top-rated Gluten Free Carrot Cake: it’s all about beating the eggs. For the polenta cake, you’ll whip the egg whites separately, then fold them into the batter. It’s an extra step (that between you and me, I typically avoid at all costs) but here it is well worth it for the lift they provide. This cake’s lovely, rich texture is offset by citrus. Orange zest, orange juice, and orange liqueur make it taste bright.

The Ingredients

Polenta. Polenta is ground corn that when freshly cooked becomes soft and creamy. It originated in Italy. When added uncooked to cake and other baked goods, it provides texture (think of cornbread like this Mexican Cornbread). Polenta isn’t to make cake grainy; rather it adds a pleasant contrast against the smooth almond flour.

Almond Flour. Made of just finely ground almonds, this high-protein flour is naturally gluten free and grain free. I adore it in baking, because it makes recipes taste fully flavored, moist, and rich.

Butter + Greek Yogurt. The Greek yogurt adds tang and the butter combines with the eggs to create a cake that reminds me of lemon curd or orange curd, but in cake form. The Greek yogurt also adds a healthy touch.Eggs. They make the cake moist and light and give it a subtle custard flavor (so yummy!).Orange. Making polenta cake with orange gives it a sunny flavor and makes this cake a delight year-round. This recipe uses orange 3 ways: the zest, the juice, and orange liqueur.

Glaze. A quick and easy orange glaze is the finishing touch and makes the cake the right amount of sweet.

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Polenta cake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.To Serve. Enjoy leftovers at room temperature, or for a refreshing twist, enjoy a slice cool straight from the fridge.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Cake Pan. 9-inch round pan with nonstick coating.Citrus Press. Easy to squeeze and produces more juice too!Citrus Zester. A durable, stainless steel microplane zester. (It can also grate cheese too.)

I originally baked this polenta cake for my friend Melissa’s birthday (she has celiac so I needed a gluten free cake that both she and the other guests would adore). Regular ground yellow cornmeal or corn grits can be substituted in polenta cake too. If your polenta cake tastes gritty, it is likely you used a coarse grind of cornmeal. For a smooth texture, I recommend finely ground cornmeal.

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25 mins Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe. The kind soul she is, she offered me a leftover slice and I politely declined—it was her birthday after all and when you have to eat gluten free 100% of the time, desserts this good are especially prized. In the moment, I patted myself on the back for being a good, selfless friend with a strong sense of self control. And an hour later? I was CRAVING a slice and regretting it…only a little bit, but. Clearly, I need more polenta cake. Come to think of it, we all do. I hope you try this polenta cake recipe soon!