Blood Orange & Polenta Cake from Jamie Oliver with Thyme-infused Whipped Cream
Blood Orange Polenta Cake overlooking the vines at Roberts Ranch
This month, by popular demand from our April 18th French Worker’s Lunch, we’re sharing Jamie Oliver’s Blood Orange and Polenta Cake with a few of our edits and including our simple recipe for thyme-infused whipped cream to accompany! The cake is Gluten Free as it’s made from a base of polenta and almond flour. Thyme infused whipping cream needs 8 hours to steep - so make sure to leave time for this.
Get your kitchen scale out (always important in baking!) and if you don’t have one yet- now’s the time to up your baking game - here’s the one we use! Greater Goods Digital Food Scale
Blood Orange and Polenta Cake recipe Jamie Oliver
Ingredients
Cake
200g unsaltedbutter (save wrappers for greasing pan)
200g sugar
3 large free-range eggs (we suggest Roberts Ranch eggs!)
1 t. Vanilla extract
200g almond flour (ground almonds)
100g raw polenta
3-4 blood oranges to zest (if not available - recipe can be made with regular oranges, but the color of the cake and syrup will be different)
1 t. Orange blossom water
1 t. Baking powder
Powdered Sugar to garnish
Syrup
5 cardamom pods
250ml blood orange juice (from above 3-4 oranges)
125g. Sugar
Whipping Cream
2 c. Heavy whipping cream
2 T. Fresh thyme leaves
2 t. Vanilla extract
2 T. Sugar to taste
Directions
Prepare the Whipping Cream to steep 8-12 hours ahead of time. Combine 2 cups heavy whipping cream with 2 T. Fresh thyme leaves. Cover and refrigerate. After steeping, strain thyme leaves and whip cream with 2 t. Vanilla and sugar to taste - start with 2 T. And add as needed. Refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 320 degrees F. Grease an 8” springform pan and put a parchment circle in the bottom (we use this pan! - & these parchment circles are handy to keep around)
Zest the 3 oranges and set aside the zest. Juice the oranges and set aside the juice for the syrup. (Our favorite zester)
Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and creamy - don’t worry if it seems gritty, as the sugar will dissolve when it’s cooked. Beat in the eggs, one at a time to incorporate, then add the vanilla.
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, polenta and orange zest - (saving a pinch for whipped cream garnish) and baking powder.
Stir into cake mix - combine well but don’t overheat. Add orange blossom water and incorporate.
Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 40-45 min. Check the cake at 40 min. and pull out when it is golden brown and it is beginning to pull away at the sides.
Let cake cool 10 min and gently remove springform and parchment and place on cake stand or plate.
To make syrup, crush cardamom pods and put all syrup ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Strain/Remove cardamom pieces and further reduce to a thickened syrup. Set aside to cool
If making a day ahead. Cover cake and hold at room temperature. (Can be rewarmed for 5 min in a 350 degree oven) When ready to serve, Prick the cake about 20 times with a skewer and brush generously with the syrup. Dust with confectioners sugar and garnish with edible flowers.
Serve the Thyme infused whipped cream in a bowl on the side. Garnish with a drizzle of the beautiful Blood Orange Syrup and the pinch of orange zest for color! Watch as your guests tuck in and ask for seconds!
Thyme infused whipped cream with Blood Orange Syrup and zest
Bring your cake to the table already sliced and dusted with powdered sugar and flowers (make sure they are organic and edible!)