Blood Orange Polenta Cake (Printable)

Gluten-free polenta and almond cake scented with blood orange zest, glazed to a rosy pink and finished with citrus.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 7 oz (14 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
02 - 1 cup superfine (caster) sugar
03 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
04 - Zest of 2 blood oranges
05 - 5/8 cup fine polenta (cornmeal)
06 - 1 1/3 cups ground almonds (almond meal)
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
08 - Pinch of fine salt
09 - 1/4 cup fresh blood orange juice
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Glaze

11 - 1 cup sifted confectioners' (powdered) sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons blood orange juice, strained, to achieve a rosy pink glaze

→ Decoration (optional)

13 - Blood orange slices
14 - Edible flowers

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 340°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and superfine sugar with an electric mixer or whisk until the mixture is pale and airy.
03 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition to maintain an emulsion and even texture.
04 - Fold in the blood orange zest and vanilla extract, mixing just until distributed.
05 - Whisk together the fine polenta, ground almonds, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl to ensure even leavening.
06 - Gently fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture using a spatula, taking care not to overwork the batter.
07 - Stir in the blood orange juice until just incorporated; the batter should be combined and slightly loose but not runny.
08 - Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the surface, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
09 - Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes to settle, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
10 - Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and add the blood orange juice a little at a time, stirring to achieve a thick, pourable pink glaze.
11 - When the cake is fully cool, drizzle the glaze over the top, let it drip down the sides, and finish with blood orange slices and edible flowers if using.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The color of the blood orange glaze feels like a secret celebration every time you slice in.
  • The cake's combination of almonds and citrus keeps it surprisingly moist for days, which is a game changer for make-ahead desserts.
02 -
  • If you try to glaze the cake while it's still warm, the icing runs right off and you'll lose that pretty effect.
  • Letting the cake cool completely rewards you with a perfect crumb that soaks up each droplet of glaze.
03 -
  • Weighing dry ingredients ensures accuracy and makes cakes like this turn out fuss-free.
  • If you want super-shiny glaze, sift your sugar twice and use freshly squeezed, well-strained juice.
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