Blood Orange Polenta Cake
I made this cake over easter, it’s lovely for a weekend with family because it should be eaten fresh in one sitting! You can make it with normal oranges or grapefruit too. I love the combination of citrus and cake. The smell of it cooking will bring the whole family to the kitchen. Because it’s best served hot it always works wonderfully as a pudding as well.
What you'll need
¾ cup Light Brown Sugar
¾ cup Unsalted Butter
2 tsp Water
6 Blood Oranges
1 ½ cups Plain Flour
3 tbsp Polenta
1 ½ tsp Salt
1½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Paste
Zest of one Orange
5 Eggs
¾ cup Buttermilk
Clotted Cream to Serve
Mix
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Use a knob of Butter to generously grease the cake pan.
- In a small pan, over a medium heat, melt the Brown Sugar, ¼ cup of Butter and 2 tsp Water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and then bring to the boil for 2 mins without stirring. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the cake pan and spread out.
- Peel and slice the Oranges into fours.
- When the caramel has set (after about 3 mins), lay out the slices of Orange on the top. Start in the middle and work out, making a pretty pattern, cut any left over oranges into quarters and fit the pieces between the whole slices to fill the whole base.
- Whisk the Flour, Polenta, Salt, Baking Powder and Soda together.
- In another bowl, Cream the remaining Butter and Granulated Sugar, when light and fluffy add the Vanilla and Orange Zest.
- With the mixer on full speed add the Eggs, one at a time, and whisking until blended completely before adding the next.
- Turn the mixer down to medium and add the Four mix in three additions, with the Buttermilk in-between.
- Pour this mix onto the oranges and smooth it out, but don’t disturb them.
Bake
Bake for 50mins or until golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean.
When the cake is done leave it to cool for 3 mins and then turn it out onto a serving dish. I like to serve it warm with clotted cream, but yoghurt would also be lovely.
