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An Italian cake made with polenta and olive oil on a white platter next to a slice on a white plate with raspberries
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4.72 from 7 votes

Olive Oil Polenta Cake (gluten-free, dairy-free)

This Olive Oil Polenta Cake is rich, buttery and has the perfect amount of sweetness. Extra virgin olive oil, honey and orange add complexity and brightness. It's perfect for dessert or with a cup of tea. Plus it's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 slices
Calories: 648kcal
Author: Don Baiocchi

Equipment

  • 8" springform pan

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup / 200 ml / 6 oz. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
  • ½ cup / 4 fluid oz. / 150g liquid honey
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large orange, zested, plus 3 tablespoons of its juice
  • 2 cups + 3½ tablespoons / 7 oz. / 200g superfine blanched almond flour
  • ½ cup + 2½ tablespoons / 3.5 oz. / 100g polenta (or medium-grind cornmeal)
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 325°.
  • Coat the sides and the bottom of an 8" springform pan with the olive oil. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and coat the paper with oil.
  • In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer, whisk the olive oil and honey on high speed for 2 minutes.
  • Still at high speed, whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the orange zest and continue whisking for another full minute. The mixture should be lighter in color and almost doubled in size.
  • Stop the mixer. Fold in the almond flour, polenta, salt and orange juice. (To fold: while continually rotating the bowl, gently scrape a spatula down the side of the bowl to the bottom, then up the other side, "folding" the mixture up and over itself). The mixture will lose some of the air you just whisked in but that's okay. Just stop whisking as soon as everything is combined.
  • Pour the liquid batter into the lined and greased springform pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the edges have browned and the top is completely set.
  • Let cool for 10 minutes, then gently slide a small offset spatula between the cake and the pan. Remove the pan ring and let the cake cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with raspberries, if desired.

Notes

You can get 8 smaller or 6 more regular-sized slices.
Storing the polenta cake
The cake can be covered and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days. It's just as good the next day or two as the day it's made.
It can also be covered and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days, although it may start to get softer and more moist as it sits.
Substitutions and variations
  • You can use a lemon instead of an orange. Lemons are a bit more sour so I'd cut the amount of juice down to 1-2 tablespoons.
  • If you don't have extra virgin olive oil, you can use a more neutral-flavored oil such as avocado. The flavor will lose a little dimension but the cake will still be great.
  • I haven't tried this with maple syrup instead of honey but I think it could maybe work.
  • No springform pan? You can use an 8" round cake pan (grease and line it per the instructions). It would probably be easier to serve straight from the pan. However, if you want to remove it from the pan, wait until it is completely cool (when you think it's cool, wait a little longer) so it's completely set. Carefully flip it over onto your hand with your fingers spread as wide as possible. Peel off the parchment if you wish (and the cake feels secure), then place an upside-down serving platter or cake stand on the bottom of the cake and flip both right-side up. Boom! You're all set.
 
This cake is adapted from Jamie Oliver's orange polenta cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 648kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 36g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 27g | Monounsaturated Fat: 176g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 228mg | Potassium: 394mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 114mg | Iron: 1mg