Food & recipes

Áine Carlin’s Gluten-Free Orange Polenta Cake

Áine Carlin, author of The New Vegan, shares a delicious gluten-free cake recipe

Áine Carlin, author of The New Vegan, shares a delicious gluten-free cake recipe

Nothing beats the smell of this deeply sensuous cake baking in the oven. It’s enough to send me doo-lally and want to scoff the entire thing in a millisecond. But (but, but, but!) patience is the key here because you’ll have to wait until it’s completely cool before slathering it in the unctuous cashew frosting that sends this cake from merely fantastic into the baking stratosphere – yes, it really is that good. What makes it all the more satisfying is the sheer simplicity of its construction (you really don’t need to be a master baker to accomplish this one) and the uber crumbly texture, which makes it ccompaniment to a traditional cuppa – take it from me, this pairing is absolute, unadulterated bliss. So, what are you waiting for? Get the kettle on, it’s time for tea and cake.

Gluten-Free Orange Polenta Cake

Ingredients (SERVES 8-10)

120g polenta

80g ground almonds

100g gram flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Zest and juice of 2 blood oranges

100ml olive oil

100ml agave nectar

½ teaspoon orange extract

100ml soya yogurt

40g crushed pistachios, to decorate

for the cashew frosting:

150g cashews, soaked for at least 6 hours

100ml agave nectar

Juice and zest of ½ orange

½ teaspoon orange extract

1 heaped teaspoon coconut oil

2–3 tablespoons water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and line a 15cm cake tin.

2. First, make the frosting. Drain and rinse the cashews and blend in a food processor or high-speed blender with the agave, orange juice and zest, orange extract, coconut oil and 2 tablespoons of the water. Scrape down the sides frequently until it becomes completely smooth, adding a little more water if necessary. The frosting will go through several stages; nutty, coarse and eventually silky smooth. You really do have to persevere to achieve the perfect frosting consistency, but don’t take a shortcut by adding too much liquid. Keep blending and it will eventually become a shadow of its former cashew self. Refrigerate until needed.

3. Mix the polenta, ground almonds, gram flour and bicarbonate of soda together in a large bowl. Stir through the blood orange zest to ensure it is evenly distributed.

4. In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together the oil, blood orange juice, agave, orange extract and yogurt.

5. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the orange and olive oil mixture. Fold gently and transfer to the prepared cake tin.

6. Bake for 30–35 minutes. Check whether the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer to see if it comes out clean.

7. Once baked, leave to cool briefly on a wire rack before removing it from the tin. Set aside until completely cool.

8. Slather over the chilled cashew frosting, smoothing it around the sides with a spatula. Finally, decorate with crushed pistachios. The cake is best eaten fresh, but will keep for up to three days.

From The New Vegan by Áine Carlin, published by Kyle Books, priced £14.99. Photography by Nassima Rothacker.

To read our interview with Áine Carlin pick up the September issue of Natural Health (on sale from August 12th, 2016 until 9th September, 2016)