Orange Polenta Cake

A photo of a bundt cake with blown out candles on them.

5 from 9 votes

Did someone say CAKE? Moist and deliciously tasty, this Orange Polenta Cake is rich in flavor and soaks up the orange syrup like a sponge. A gluten free cake that has the most amazing taste and is simple to make.

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 523kcal

Author: Amanda Mason

Ingredients

Cake:

1 Tablespoon Butter, for greasing bundt pan
1 Tablespoon Almond flour, for dusting bundt pan
1 cup butter softened
1 cup caster sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 egg yolk
Zest of an orange
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups almond flour
½ cup polenta, not cooked
1 teaspoon baking powder

Cardamom and Orange Syrup:

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
⅓ cup caster sugar
2 cardamom pods, split

Instructions

The Cake:

Preheat your oven to 325°F
Use 1 Tablespoon of butter to grease a bundt pan. Then, use 1 Tablespoon almond flour to dust the bundt pan. Shake off and discard the excess.
With an electric mixer, beat the eggs and the egg yolk together in a bowl, then set aside.
Place the softened butter in a large bowl, then mix it using an electric mixer for 1 minute.
Add in the caster sugar and mix for a few more minutes until pale and increased in volume.
Continue to beat the mixture as you slowly add the beaten eggs.
Once the eggs are well incorporated, add the orange juice, orange zest, and vanilla extract. Mix until well blended.
Add the almond flour, polenta, salt, and baking powder and fold through the mixture until well combined.
Transfer the batter into the bundt pan.
Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes.
When the cake is done, remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

The Cardamom and Orange Syrup:

Place the orange juice, caster sugar, and cardamom pods in pan on medium-high heat.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down and continue to simmer the syrup for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn the heat off. Leave the syrup in the pan for 10-15 minutes to allow the cardamom to steep in the syrup.

Assembly:

Turn the cake out onto your desired plate or cake stand.
Poke holes in the cake using a fork.
Remove the cardamom pods from the syrup. Then, pour the syrup over the cake, giving the cake a minute or 2 to soak it all in.
Garnish the cake with pistachios or fresh fruit.

Video

Notes

Recipe Notes and Baker's Tips

How to Stop the Cake from Sticking - don't use cooking spray to grease the bundt pan. Use butter and sprinkle with a small amount of almond flour to coat. Keep in mind that even when you effectively grease and flour the pan, it's still worth being careful when trying to remove the cake. Make sure the cake is completely cool and make sure none of the edges are catching. Loosen it a little with a spatula or butter knife right before removing from the pan.
Slowly Mix the Ingredients - creaming the butter and sugar is not just a matter of beating the 2 ingredients together until they're mixed. There's an art to baking. It's about the mixture going softer, paler, and expanding. Give each beating step more time, like 1-2 minutes. I like to start the process by beating the butter by itself first, making it lighter and softer when the sugar is added. Take your time when beating the sugar. The trick here is to beat it until the color lightens up and the mixture has increased in volume.
Beat the Eggs Separately - beat the eggs together before adding them to the batter. This allows you to add the egg batter in a slower and more controlled fashion. Don't just beat the mixture to combine the ingredients. Instead, focus on changing the state of the ingredients. This little trick will take your baking skills up a notch!
Substitute Tip - when making the syrup if you don't have cardamom pods, you can use ½ teaspoon ground cardamom instead.
Ensure it is Done - About 50 minutes into baking, insert a toothpick or skewer to test whether it's done or not. If the toothpick comes out dry, it's done. If there is wet batter on the toothpick, it needs to cook longer.
How to split a cardamom seed - You'll use the same technique used with splitting garlic cloves. Place the seed on a cutting board. Take a large knife and place it flat over the seed. Apply pressure with your hand so that the seed gently splits open.

Nutrition