Orange Polenta Olive Oil Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds ground
- ยฝ cup caster sugar
- 3 eggs large
- ยฝ cup olive oil
- 1 large orange seeds removed
- ยฝ cup polenta
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup Greek-style yoghurt or crรจme fraรฎche to serve
For Rosemary Drizzle
- ยฝ cup caster sugar
- Juice of ยฝ orange
- Juice of ยฝ lemon
- 6 cardamom pods seeds removed and ground
- 4 rosemary sprigs
Instructions
- Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.
- Lower in the orange and cover the pan.
- Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
- Remove the orange and leave it to cool.
- Quarter the orange, remove any remaining seeds and place the entire orange, including the peel, in a blender with the lemon juice and zest.
- Blend until smooth.
- Preheat the air fryer to 160ยฐC.
- Lightly grease a cake pan, 20 cm, and line the base with baking paper.
- Beat the eggs and caster sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.
- With the mixer running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady stream.
- Once combined, whisk in the orange purรฉe.
- Fold in the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Air fry for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack.
- For the drizzle, combine the caster sugar, lemon juice, cardamom and rosemary in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the rosemary and remove from the heat.
- Leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes.
- Pierce the top of the cooled cake all over.
- Spoon the rosemary-orange drizzle over the cake.
- Serve with Greek-style yoghurt or crรจme fraรฎche.
Notes & Wine Advice
Serving Suggestions
Serve the cake at room temperature with Greek-style yoghurt or crรจme fraรฎche. The creamy accompaniment balances the sweet citrus drizzle and aromatic rosemary.Recipe Notes
Cooking the whole orange before blending softens the peel and removes much of its bitterness. Use the entire cooked orange, including the peel, for maximum citrus flavour.Cooking Advice
Check the cake after about 45 minutes because air fryers vary in intensity. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean when the cake is ready.Rosemary Drizzle
Allow the rosemary and cardamom to infuse in the citrus syrup for at least 30 minutes. Pierce the cooled cake before adding the drizzle so the syrup can soak into the crumb.Wine Advice
The orange, almond and aromatic rosemary flavours pair well with a fresh dessert wine. Choose a suitable bottle from Renรฉ’s Wijnbeleving.Nutrition values
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About Orange Polenta Olive Oil Cake
Orange Polenta Olive Oil Cake is a moist citrus cake made with a whole cooked orange, olive oil, ground almonds and polenta. Instead of relying entirely on butter for richness, olive oil gives the cake a soft texture and complements the fragrant orange. A rosemary, cardamom and citrus drizzle adds another aromatic layer after cooking.
Using a Whole Orange
One of the distinctive features of this cake is the use of an entire orange. The fruit is simmered before being blended, which softens both the flesh and peel. Cooking the orange also mellows the bitterness of the peel while preserving its concentrated citrus aroma.
Once cooled, remove any remaining seeds before blending the orange until smooth. The resulting purรฉe contributes flavour, moisture and texture to the cake batter.
Olive Oil in Cake
Olive oil works particularly well with citrus, almonds and polenta. It creates a moist crumb and gives the cake a slightly different character from a traditional butter-based sponge.
Add the olive oil gradually while whisking the eggs and sugar. A slow, steady stream helps it incorporate smoothly before the orange purรฉe is added.
Ground Almonds and Polenta
Ground almonds add richness and a subtle nutty flavour, while polenta gives the cake a slightly textured crumb. Together they make the cake more substantial than an ordinary orange sponge.
The combination also works particularly well with the rosemary and cardamom in the finishing syrup because the almonds provide a mellow background for those stronger aromatic flavours.
Cooking in the Air Fryer
The cake is cooked in the Airfryer at 160ยฐC. A cake pan, 20 cm, should fit comfortably inside the basket while leaving enough room for the hot air to circulate.
Cooking can take between 45 minutes and 1 hour. Check the centre with a skewer rather than relying solely on the cooking time, as different air fryer models can vary considerably.
Making the Rosemary Drizzle
The drizzle combines caster sugar with citrus juice, cardamom and rosemary. Heating the mixture dissolves the sugar and extracts flavour from the spices and herbs.
Allowing the rosemary to infuse for at least 30 minutes gives the syrup time to develop its distinctive aroma without requiring additional cooking.
Adding the Drizzle
Once the cake has cooled, pierce the surface all over with a skewer. Spoon the infused syrup gradually across the top so it can soak through the small holes and flavour the interior.
This step adds moisture as well as flavour, creating a contrast between the golden exterior and soft citrus-scented crumb.
Serving the Cake
Serve Orange Polenta Olive Oil Cake at room temperature with Greek-style yoghurt or crรจme fraรฎche. Their mild acidity and creamy texture balance the sweetness of the syrup.
The cake works particularly well for High Tea, a Birthday or a relaxed weekend dessert. Because the flavours are already quite complex, it needs very little additional decoration.
Storing the Cake
Allow the cake to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container. The olive oil, orange purรฉe and syrup help keep the crumb moist after baking.
If serving the cake later, keep the yoghurt or crรจme fraรฎche refrigerated separately and add it only when the cake is served.
Aromatic Citrus Cake
The combination of orange, rosemary and cardamom gives this cake more depth than a straightforward orange sponge. Rosemary contributes a savoury herbal aroma, while cardamom brings a warm citrus-like fragrance that complements the orange and lemon.
Orange Polenta Olive Oil Cake combines moist citrus fruit, almonds, polenta and olive oil with an aromatic rosemary drizzle. The result is a rich but fresh-tasting cake that works equally well as an afternoon treat or a simple dessert.