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This is a $10-per-plate restaurant dessert if ever I saw one!
This gritty, flat cornmeal cake is fabulous – a bit dense, and chewy from polenta, fragrant with almonds and barely sweet. It’s rustic yet can be elegant, if you can imagine that. Rustically elegant?
Eat it with lightly sweetened whipped cream and fresh berries or fruit (Ojai Pixie tangerines, anyone?), or by itself with a cup of tea. Heck, I would eat it for breakfast with lemon curd or lemon marmalade.
The sugar and almonds on top give it a light, sweet crust.
Can you tell I love it? It is a bit gritty from the cornmeal, but if you like cornbread, you will likely enjoy it. If you don’t like the gritty chew in cornbread, this one isn’t for you. Just being honest.
Recipe: Almond Polenta Cake
Summary: Gritty, chewy, rustic yet elegant cake has a light, sweet, nutty top crust. It’s lovely as dessert with whipped cream and berries, or for breakfast with lemon curd.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature, + 1 tablespoon for greasing the pan (I used Kerrygold unsalted butter)
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons polenta, fine to medium grind (or cornmeal) + 2 teaspoons for dusting pan
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, not packed
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
- Topping: 1 heaping tablespoon coarse sugar crystals
- Topping: ¼ cup slivered, dry toasted almonds
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375F degrees. Use 1 tablespoon butter to grease a 9-inch removable-bottom tart pan; dust with 2 teaspoons cornmeal.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until light in color and fluffy, 1 ½-2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mix in almond extract, vanilla, baking powder and salt.
- Mix in flour and remaining corn meal until combined.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the coarse sugar and slivered almonds evenly on top.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool. When cool, remove outer ring and place cake on a serving plate.
- Serves 12.
Source
Adapted from a recipe by pastry chef Kimberly Sklar of Literati II, a Los Angeles restaurant, and printed in the Los Angeles Times. At the restaurant, Sklar served her cake with almond and cherry swirl ice cream.
Variations
Add some grated orange zest or tangerine zest to the cake for a deepened flavor component.
SundaySupper
Here’s a list of all the recipes I have brought to our #SundaySupper virtual meals so far. Browse through them…lots of good ideas in here!
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Diet type: Vegetarian
Number of servings (yield): 12
Culinary tradition: Italian
My rating
Today our #SundaySupper cooks are making Cheese, Cakes and Cheesecakes, with some fantastic recipes you’ll want to try. Browse below to see what you might put on your menu this week.
Cheese –
- Garlic and Goat by Supper for a Steal
- Quick and Easy Homemade Cottage Cheese by The Meltaways
- Homemade Velveeta Cheese by Juanitas Cocina
- Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Parmesan Crisps by BigBearsWife
- Irish Cheese Soufflés by girlichef
- Paneer Tikka Masala by Kimchi Mom
- Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta with Homemade Ricotta and Broccoli by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Ricotta Croquettes by Basic N Delicious
- Cheeseburger Soup by Dinners Dishes and Desserts
- Cherry Blossom Crescents by The Ninja Baker
- Saag Paneer! Golden Roasted Ricotta In Savory Spinach Sauce by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Sourdough Cheese Crackers by Curious Cuisiniere
- Basil Balsamic Strawberries & Whipped Feta Grilled Cheese by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Lox and Cream Cheese Mini Omelettes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Buffalo Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken by In The Kitchen With KP
- Baked Mozzarella Sticks by Mama’s Blissful Bites
- Paneer Indian Cottage Cheese Pancake by Masala Herb
- Crepes with Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Filling by Soni’s Food
- Roasted Pears with Pecorino by Happy Baking Days
- Pan-Fried Halloumi Cheese Salad by The Catholic Foodie
- Chevre Torte with Mango and Sweet Pepper Salsa by Noshing with the Nolands
Cakes –
- Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks
- Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake by Gourmet Drizzles
- Dairyfree Ice Cream Cake by Galactosemia in PDX
- KitKat Chocolate Cake by The Urban Mrs.
- Old Fashioned Caramel Cake by There and Back Again
- Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips by Gotta Get Baked
- Flourless Chocolate Bean Cake by Vintage Kitchen
- Dense Chocolate Cherry Cake by What Smells So Good?
- Tequila Lime Cupcakes by Mama Mommy Mom
- Almond Polenta Cake by Shockingly Delicious
- Salmon Cakes by Family Foodie
- Banana Split Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze by NeighborFood
& Cheesecakes
- Kit Kat Cheesecake Brownies by Chocolate Moosey
- Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake by Daily Dish Recipes
- Nutella Cheesecake Brownies by The Foodie Army Wife
- Individual Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecakes by Small Wallet Big Appetite
- Grasshopper Cheesecake Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Chocolate Covered Cherry Cheesecake by Magnolia Days
- Mini Toddler Cherry Cheesecakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
- Mocha Cheesecake by The Lovely Pantry
- Lime Cheesecake Bites by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- No-Bake Banana Sundae Cheesecake by The Messy Baker
- Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Crusts by Cupcakes and Pearls
- Savory Shrimp Cheesecake with Herbs and Garlic by Food Lust People Love
- Cheesecake au Baileys by Baker Street
- Tiny Turtle Cheesecakes (No Bake) by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes by Cookistry
- Chocolate Cheesecake Bites by Mom, What’s For Dinner?
Follow the #SundaySupper hash tag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.
Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Join us around the family table this Sunday at 7 p.m. Eastern Time and share your favorite Cheese, Cake and Cheesecake Recipes with us!
Welcome to my kitchen!
At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
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Your cake is so creative and I am loving it! I would never of thought of sing polenta in a cake!
I love cornbread so I’m sure I would enjoy the texture of this cake. I’ve been wanting to make a polenta cake too. Nice flavoring with the almonds.
Renee,
The almond/almond flavoring really works with this!
I have a soft spot for polenta in cakes, they are so wonderful. A gorgeous recipe Dorothy! Not the usual overly sweet, love it!
Paula,
Thanks! This one is easy, too.
What a beautiful rustically elegant cake! I especially love the golden top with with the sugar and almonds. Just lovely!
I never think of trying to make anything healthier in the dessert department and then I visit your blog and I realize it can be done and I should be doing it. This is beautiful, sounds delicious and now I’m craving something almond. I love almonds, btw.
Nicole,
It’s funny that once you readjust your tastebuds to less sugar, you find you prefer it! I love sweet things, but the cakes like this with just a hint of sugar are really appealing.
Very pretty! I love the crunchy taste of cornmeal in baked goods, so this is definitely the cake for me!
Gorgeous…like so gorgeous that I did a bit of a dance when I saw it.
Jen,
The polenta dance!
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