Thermomix Whole Orange Polenta Cake

I love making cakes with polenta because it gives cakes such a wonderful texture and mixed to perfection in my trusty Thermomix, this cake is light as a feather. Citrus flavours go great with polenta and this orange cake is a real winner, perfect for dessert or a teatime treat. I made it a few years ago for Emily’s birthday and everyone in the office thought that this was orangey BOOM!

I’ve since updated the recipe using whole oranges for a fuller flavour and a little more moist (sorry, not sorry!) Also, I choose to make the orange syrup on the stove. The stove top method takes the same amount of time as the Thermomix, but gives a much more syrupy result and makes the cake all sticky, shiny and oh, so sweet!

This recipe will make two loaf cakes but if you only want to make one, use a large 23cm round springform tin and cook the cake for a bit longer.

If you haven’t got a Thermomix, you can still make this cake in a flash. The regular recipe is right here.

Serves 10-12 (makes 2 small loaf cakes)

Ingredients

1000g water

2 large oranges

200g raw sugar

250g unsalted butter

4 large eggs

160g polenta

180g plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

FOR THE ORANGE GLAZE

100ml orange juice (from 2 medium oranges)

100g raw sugar

How to

Pre-heat oven to 160C / 140C fan-forced. Grease and line 2 medium loaf tins (23cm x 11cm) with baking paper.
Place water into TM bowl. Insert the steaming basket and put the whole oranges into the basket. Cook for 45 minutes on Varoma temperature on speed 3. When the oranges are ready, set aside until cool enough to handle.
Add sugar to the TM bowl and mill for 7 seconds on speed 9.
Add butter and chop for 5 seconds on speed 8.
Insert butterfly and mix for 1 minute 30 seconds on speed 4 until pale and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl half way through.
Remove butterfly. With the motor running on speed 5, add the eggs one at a time. This should take about a minute.
When the oranges are cool, cut into quarters, remove the pips and cut off the knobbly, gnarly bits of peel at either end.
Add baking powder, flour and polenta for 10 seconds on speed 7. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat mixing for another 10 seconds on speed 7.
Divide the batter equally between the two prepared tins and spread evenly.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean. If the cake browns too quickly, cover with foil.
Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
To make the syrup, put the juice and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, then remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Drizzle the orange syrup over the top of the cooled cake. Serve with ice cream or citrus sorbet, or a nice cup of tea!