Recipes

Citrus polenta & almond cake

Soft, moist and tangy, with jewel-like citrus segments, this cake is beautiful. It is free from gluten and refined sugar – honey is the natural source of sweetness in this cake.

Honey has the same impact on blood glucose levels as all other forms of sugar, but unlike refined white sugar, it is far less chemically processed. It also has a broad range of interesting flavours, textures and colours. We recommend unblended, unheated and untreated varieties. Don’t feed honey to infants under 12 months old.

Recipe created by Nourish cook and Dietitian, Clare Gray
  • Prep time:
    75 minutes
  • Cooking time:
    75-90 minutes
  • Serves:
    14

Method

  1. Place 2 of the oranges in a saucepan, cover with cold water and place over a medium heat. Simmer for an hour until completely soft.
  2. Drain and cut the oranges in half, remove the seeds, scoop out the flesh and purée the flesh and skin together using a food processor or hand blender.
  3. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 22cm springform cake tin and line with baking paper.
  4. Zest the remaining orange and the ruby grapefruit and set the zest aside.
  5. Take the zested orange and both grapefruits. Using a sharp knife remove the top and base from each, then cut the peel and pith from the sides. Cut out the individual segments. Save the remaining part of the orange and grapefruit; you can squeeze it and use it for the juice for the syrup.
  6. Arrange the orange and grapefruit segments at the base of the tin.
  7. Use an electric whisk or standing mixer to beat the eggs yolks with the honey until thick and pale; this will take several minutes
  8. Mix the polenta, almonds, salt and baking powder. Fold in the egg yolk and honey mixture, followed by the oil, puréed oranges and reserved orange and grapefruit zest.
  9. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs whites until they form stiff peaks and then fold into the cake batter.
  10. Bake for 75-90 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  11. While the cake is baking make the citrus syrup. Combine the citrus juices and honey in a saucepan, stir well to combine and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for several minutes.
  12. Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack. Remove the cake tin and flip the cake so the base is on the top.
  13. Drizzle the warm syrup over the cake and serve immediately with custard or crème fraîche.

Ingredients

  • 3 oranges, unwaxed
  • 1 ruby grapefruit, unwaxed
  • 1 pink grapefruit, unwaxed
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 250g unblended honey
  • 200g polenta
  • 300g ground almonds
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
  • 200ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing

For the syrup

  • 50ml grapefruit juice
  • 50ml fresh orange juice
  • 100g unblended local honey

 

  •  Custard or crème fraîche, to serve

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