the accidental smallholder :: diary archives

Marmalade polenta cake

This is for Anna, who has lost this recipe. It was in "Country Living " magazine in February 2006, inspiring me to make marmalade for the first time. I opened the last jar this morning, just in time for this year's Seville oranges to hit the shops.

Anna recommends this cake as easy and delicious.

200g softened butter; 250g golden caster sugar; 1 medium orange; 2 tbsp of fruity virgin olive oil; 4 large free range eggs; 150g SR flour, sifted; 1 tsp baking powder; 100g polenta flour or fine polenta; 100g Seville orange marmalade.

Heat the oven to 170C (150C fan oven), GM3

Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the grated zest of the orange and the olive oil. Beat well. Add the eggs one at a time. With each egg, add a couple of teaspoons of flour. Mix the baking powder with the remaining flour and fold it into the mixture, then fold in the polenta, the marmalade and 2 tbsp of fresh orange juice.

Spoon the mixture into a 24cm deep springform cake tin, levelling the top. Bake for 60 -70 minutes, covering the cake with foil after 40 minutes of baking. The cake is ready when it is firm in the middle and a skewer comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.