Blood Orange and Polenta Cake 
Set-Up
- Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF)
- Coat a 10-inch (25 cm) diameter springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper (coat both sides of the parchment with cooking spray). Place on a foil-lined sheet pan.
Ingredients
- 5 blood oranges
- 1 cup (220 g) plus 1 1/4 cup (275 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (235 ml) orange juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 1/4 sticks (250 g) butter (room temp)
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) greek yogurt
- 1 3/4 cups (265 g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (135 g) polenta
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Directions
Start by peeling the blood oranges and then slice them crosswise into 1/4 inch (0.6 cm) thick slices. Remove any large bits of pith. Lay them neatly on the parchment at the bottom of the springform pan (remember that the downward face is what you’ll see on the top of the cake).
Make the drizzle by boiling together in a saucepan 1 cup of sugar, orange juice, and lemon juice. Dribble 2 tablespoons of the drizzle over the slices of blood orange.
Thoroughly cream the butter and 1 1/4 cups of sugar together in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs one at a time, and then the yogurt.
Mix the flour, polenta, and baking powder together in a separate bowl and then blend into the butter/sugar/egg mix. If necessary, add a tablespoon (or so) of the drizzle (liquid). Note that the batter will be somewhat thicker than most cake batters.
Pour the batter into the springform pan, taking care not to disturb the slices of blood orange. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to make sure the surface is level.
Baking
Place the cake batter in the oven and bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 300ºF (180ºC) and bake for another 30–40 minutes – checking occasionally towards the end with a toothpick poked into the center to see when it’s done.
When the toothpick comes out clean, remove it from the oven and set it on a rack to cool for 15–20 minutes. Poke 20 or 30 holes in the surface of the cake with a toothpick and then slowly pour the drizzle over it. A pastry brush is handy for making sure the drizzle is evenly applied.
At this point, the cake should have pulled away from the sides of the springform pan, but it’s a good idea to run a thin knife blade around the edge before unclipping and removing the pan.
Place your serving platter upside down over the cake and carefully invert it. Remove the base from the springform pan and slowly remove the parchment.
