Manuka honey and orange polenta cake with pistachios
11 Aug 2022
Not tried polenta? Now’s your chance.
Polenta is a super-versatile staple in Italian cooking. It’s made by grinding corn into meal and can be served cooled and sliced, baked, or as a savoury porridge.
The golden grain adds a crumbly texture to this Manuka Honey and Orange Cake.
Making your own orange syrup sounds fancy, but it’s easy - and it means this citrusy, nutty cake is beautifully moist.
Nutrition: per serving
Calories
440kcalProtein
8gTotal fat
28gSaturates
12gFibre
1gCarbs
39gSugar
30gSalt
1gIngredients
200g butter
150g golden caster sugar
50g Manuka honey
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
125g polenta
100g ground almonds
50g pistachios, ground
1 tsp baking powder
2 oranges, zested
200ml orange juice
60g coconut sugar
50g Manuka honey
50g pistachios, chopped to serve
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 160 ºC /140 ºC fan/gas mark 3 and grease and line a 20cm round cake tin. Beat together the butter, sugar and honey until light and fluffy.
2
Gradually add in the eggs and vanilla paste until well combined and then fold in the polenta, ground almonds and ground pistachios until just combined. Then fold through the baking powder and orange zest.
3
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until risen and golden. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
4
Meanwhile, mix together the syrup ingredients and simmer on a low heat until the sugar dissolved and then simmer for 10 minutes or until syrupy. Keep the cake in the tin and carefully poke holes in the top with a cocktail stick or skewer and drizzle over the syrup.
5
Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing and sprinkle the chopped pistachios on top. Serve in slices with crème fraîche if preferred.
