Sticky Orange Polenta Cake Recipe - Great British Chefs

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin

Step 2

Put 1 orange and 1 lemon into a large pan, cover with water, and place a circle of greaseproof paper over the top so the fruit sits under the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Take off the heat

Step 3

Toast the blanched almonds in a dry frying pan. Put them in a food processor and blitz until finely ground

Step 4

Take the cooked orange and lemon out of the pan. Cut them in half and pick out the seeds. Juice the other fresh orange and lemon (throw away the shells). Put the cooked fruit (skins and all) and extra freshly squeezed juice in the food processor and blend to make a paste

Step 5

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the salt until foaming. Add the sugar and beat again, then add the orange paste, almonds and olive oil. Beat again

Step 6

In a separate bowl, mix the polenta and baking powder, then gently fold this into the orange mixture until it is all mixed together

Step 7

Pour the mixture into the greased tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean

Step 8

Meanwhile, make the syrup. Put the orange juice and sugar in a pan and simmer over a low heat until you have a glossy syrup

Step 9

Turn the cake out of the tin onto a serving plate and pour the syrup over it while it’s warm

Step 10

Top tip: If you wrap up the cake (without its syrup) in a sheet of greaseproof paper and a clean tea towel it will stay moist, become stickier and last for about a week