Every dinner party needs a centrepiece, doesn’t it? So why not make it the dessert. This delicious polenta and olive oil cake is not only easy on the eyes, but is incredible to eat as well.
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This crumbly yet satisfyingly dense dessert combines all the almond flavours of a frangipane with the texture of a polenta cake and the richness of an olive oil cake, while fresh orange flavours add a lovely citrus zing.
This recipe is part of our online gift guide and e-zine Hint Magazine. You can get your free PDF copy here or, for the full experience, flick through it here:Hint Magazine 2024
Christina doesn’t like cake made of cake. Cheesecake is fine. Carrot cake just about makes the grade. But things like sponge are anathema to her.
So it’s understandable that I was apprehensive with this one. But the polenta, almond meal and olive oil made enough of a difference that she devoured this ‘cake’ without a sign of side eye.
But the good thing about it is that it’s not too cakey. And it’s not too sugary either. The freshness from the orange and lemon, and the richness from olive oil, eggs and spices turns up the indulgent dial too.
Sweetness comes almost exclusively from the three dousings of orange and maple syrup, which you add at different stages at different reductions.
A scoop of orange cream on the side sharpens the dish and adds depth at the same time.
This cake is indeed gluten free. We have more gluten-free recipes here.
Polenta and olive oil citrus syrup cake
Here’s what you need:
Cake
– 3 large eggs
– 1 cup (approx 210g) extra virgin olive oil
– 50g caster sugar
– 2tsp vanilla extract
– Zest of one orange
– 2 cups (approx. 175g) almond meal
– 50g polenta
– 2tsp baking powder
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
Citrus and maple syrup
– 2 cups fresh pulp-free orange juice (about 4 oranges’ worth)
– 2 tbsp lemon juice
– 100ml (approx 1/3 cup) pure maple syrup
– 2 whole star anise
– 1 cinnamon stick
– 15-20g butter (added later)
Orange cream on the side
– 1 cup Greek yoghurt
– 1tbsp thickened cream
– 1tbsp golden syrup
– Zest of 1/2 orange
Here’s what you do:
1. Preheat the oven 160°C fan-forced.
Cake:
2. Lightly beat the 3 eggs into a large bowl until the white and yolk are combined, then mix in the olive oil, the 50g sugar, the vanilla extract and the zest from 1 orange until well combined.
3. Add the 2 cups almond meal, 50g polenta, 2tsp baking powder and cinnamon to the bowl and mix to form a smooth batter.
4. Pour batter into a greased scallop-edged flan tin and bake for 30mins or until cooked through. You can also use a deeper dish like a bread tin, though you’ll need to cook it for longer — around 45mins. Either way, a toothpick or wooden skewer should come out clean.
Syrup:
5. To make the syrup, combine all the ingredients in a pan and gently simmer for 5mins or until the mixture has reduced slightly and the spices have become aromatic. At this stage, the syrup will be quite runny.
6. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke several discreet ‘soak holes’ in the cake, then spoon enough syrup to moisten the surface of the cake and pool slightly. Then return syrup to the heat, remove the spices and cook down for a further 5mins. Spoon more over the cake to glaze.
7. Return the remaining syrup to the heat again, add the 15-20g butter and cook down until the syrup thickens. Add this to each slice of cake when you’re ready to serve.
Cream:
8. Finally, combine the yoghurt, cream and orange zest* well in a bowl. Return it to the fridge, covered, until you’re ready to serve. The longer you leave it, the more the orange zest will permeate.
You can chill the cake if you wish or serve it warm or room temperature. Serve with a scoop of orange cream and a drizzle of maple and citrus syrup.
You can also serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like.
*The zest will add texture (read: ‘a bit lumpy’). If you don’t want this, pass the yoghurt-cream mixture through a sieve for smoother consistency.
