This Blood Orange Polenta Cake is a true pleasure. Easy to make, easy to decorate, and deliciously easy to eat. A nutty, zesty cake with tons of flavor packed into a very simple, but gorgeous dessert.
Here’s the thing about simple cakes that don’t require layering or icing: they’re awesome. All you need is a pan, some basic ingredients, and time. These types of cakes are weekday cakes, the kind you can whip up and have with a cup of tea in the evening right before bed.
With only five ingredients and no difficult techniques to master, this should be one of your go to cakes for the foreseeable future. 
Blood Orange Polenta Cake
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: Serves 12 1x
- Diet: Omnivore, Gluten-Free
Description
A delightful citrus cake with a lovely polenta texture. Easy to make and even easier to devour!
Ingredients
- 10 Blood oranges (10 Blood oranges) Blood oranges
- 3 large Eggs (3 large Eggs) large Eggs
- 3/4 cups (178 ml) Honey
- 2 cups (473 ml) Almond flour
- 1 cup (237 ml) Polenta
- 1 cup (237 ml) Olive oil
- 2 sprigs Mint (2 sprigs) Mint
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch baking pan with olive oil.
- Squeeze the juice of 3 oranges into a small saucepan, add ¼ cup of honey, and whisk to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, then remove from heat. Add mint sprigs and let cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil and the remaining ½ cup of honey for 2 minutes with an electric mixer on low speed. Increase speed to high and beat in eggs for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, add zest of 3 oranges, ground almonds, polenta, and the juice of 2 oranges.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Poke the cake with a skewer. Remove mint sprigs from the honey/orange syrup and pour the syrup over the cake.
- Decorate with sliced oranges and fresh mint leaves. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature.
Notes
- For a more intense blood orange flavor, use the zest of all 10 oranges.
- If you don’t have almond flour, you can substitute with an equal amount of finely ground blanched almonds.
- Store leftover cake, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 20
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of polenta should I use for this Blood Orange Polenta Cake?
Use medium or coarse ground polenta for the best texture in the cake. Instant polenta can be used but may alter the final consistency.
How can I enhance the blood orange flavor in the cake?
You can add additional zest from the blood oranges or incorporate a splash of blood orange juice into the batter for a stronger citrus flavor.
Is there a specific baking pan I should use for this cake?
A round cake pan works well for this recipe, but you can also use a square pan; just adjust the baking time slightly if needed.
Where’s the editor? Step 3 instructs to beat in the eggs. There are no eggs listed in the ingredient list.
Good catch, the editor was clearly sleeping! Eggs are in the recipe now, thank you for pointing that out.