Dessert

Orange Polenta Cake

Name: Orange Polenta Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 250 g / 8.82 oz Unsalted butter; 250 g / 8.82 oz Golden caster sugar, cake; 4 eggs (≈200 g / 7.1 oz without shells) Large eggs without shells; 140 g / 4.94 oz Fine polenta; 200 g / 7.05 oz Plain wheat flour; 8 g / 0.28 oz Baking powder; 2 whole oranges Oranges, zest and juice; 100 mL / 3.38 US fl oz Orange juice, measured glaze; 100 g / 3.53 oz Golden sugar, glaze

A moist orange cake with the gentle grain of polenta, finished with an orange juice glaze.

Prep20 minTotal20 minEasy452 kcal / serving

Recipe video

Watch on YouTube

Method

1
Prepare the tin and oven. Heat oven to 160°C / 320°F (140°C / 284°F fan) and line a 23 cm / 9 in round tin.
2
Cream butter and sugar. Beat softened butter with the cake sugar until light and aerated.
3
Add eggs in stages. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping sides so the batter remains smooth.
4
Fold in the dry ingredients. Fold polenta, wheat flour and baking powder into the mixture without overworking.
5
Add fresh orange. Wash and zest both oranges, then add their freshly squeezed juice to the batter; keep the separately measured 100 mL orange juice for the glaze.
6
Bake until set. Transfer to tin and bake roughly 45 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted centrally comes out clean.
7
Simmer and cool the orange glaze. Bring the reserved 100 mL orange juice and 100 g sugar to a boil, simmer 5 minutes and let the syrup cool.
8
Drizzle the cooled cake. When the baked cake and orange syrup are both cool, drizzle the glaze lightly over the surface.
9
Cut clean wedges. Remove from tin after cooling enough and cut wedges to display the subtle grainy crumb.

Chef notes

Serving suggestion: Serve at room temperature without unlisted toppings; a little more orange zest is optional only if included in the measured oranges.
Yield: 8–10 slices
Identity and differentiation: This version uses both wheat flour and polenta; it is not gluten-free and does not contain almond flour.
Equipment: 23 cm / 9 in round cake tin, parchment, mixer, saucepan, wire rack.
Safety: Contains wheat/gluten, eggs and milk/dairy. Wash oranges before zesting. Handle the boiling syrup carefully; allow cake and glaze to cool safely. Cover leftovers; refrigerate promptly if kept beyond the day of preparation.
Measurement note: US weight and fluid-ounce conversions are rounded; weigh ingredients for reliable pastry results. Egg weights are estimates.