Orange and Rosemary Polenta Cake
Ingredients:
For the sponge
150g polenta
3 eggs
250g caster sugar
150ml olive oil
200g almond ground
1 tsp Orange Blossom Water
Zest of two large oranges
Juice of one large orange
For the glaze
100g caster sugar
Juice of one large orange
Zest of one large orange
1 tsp orange blossom water
Method:
Heat your oven to 160C/140C fan.
Line the base and sides of a round 23cm cake tin with baking paper. Start by whisking the olive oil, sugar and orange blossom water together until you have a thick, green paste.
In another bowl, combine the polenta, ground almonds, baking powder and salt so they are evenly mixed. Add a little of the dry ingredients to the oil mixture, then add an egg and mix together. Do this two more times, keeping alternating wet and dry as you mix. When everything is combined add 1 generous tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary and the zest of 2 of your oranges. Also add the juice of one of these oranges, keeping the other for the glaze. Gently pour the mixture into your lined cake tin and make sure it’s nice and even. Bake for around an hour, or until the cake has a lovely light golden top.
Leave to cool for a bit in the tin, and then take it out of the tin and cool. For the glaze, melt the sugar, juice of your remaining orange and the other teapsoon of orange blossom on a low heat. Bring to the boil and then let it simmer for 5-10 mins. You want it to be thick and shiny. One you’ve reached this point, take off the heat and let it cool down to a lukewarm temperature before gently spooning and spreading over your cooled cake. I like the effect of the glaze dripping down the edges a little but you can do it neater by adding less at a time. Let the glaze set a little and then grate the zest of the last orange over the top. Let it rest until the glaze is completely cooled (it will turn a little bit white), before serving.
Enjoy with optional crème fraiche, plain yoghurt or a zesty sorbet to cut through the sweetness.