Rhubarb Polenta Cake with Orange (Gluten-Free Recipe)

Rhubarb always feels like the first true sign of spring — especially forced rhubarb, with its luminous pink stems. This rhubarb polenta cake is soft, fragrant and gently citrusy, made with ground almonds, orange and tender rhubarb. It reminds me of my favourite pudding, Queen of Puddings, which my granny used to make when we went to stay. I’ve only made it once since; it’s a labour of love. This cake has that same comforting quality, but is much quicker and easier to make, and absolutely delicious. Serve warm with yoghurt or fresh cream or cold for more of a cake consistency.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g brown cane sugar
• 50g fine polenta
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
• 2 small eggs
• Zest of 1/2 orange

For the rhubarb

• 200 tender rhubarb, cut into 2–3cm lengths
• Juice of 1 orange with zest of the other half of the orange
• 1tbsp brown cane sugar
  
  

Drizzle

Juice of half an orange
75g of icing sugar

How to Make Rhubarb Polenta Cake

1. Prepare a small loaf tin – line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / gas mark 4 / 350°F.
2. Lightly cook the rhubarb with the sugar, orange juice and zest.
   Set aside while you make the batter.
3. Cream butter and sugar until pale and soft.
4. Combine the polenta, ground almonds and baking powder.
5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and stir in the remaining orange zest.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin.
7. Make a trench across the middle and add a line of rhubarb jam. Cover over with the batter.
8. Arrange the rhubarb over the surface, pressing it lightly into the batter. Reserve the remaining juice.
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden, set in the centre, and a skewer comes out clean.
10. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.
11. Meanwhile prepare the drizzle – combine the juice from the rhubarb with the icing sugar and boil up until the icing sugar has dissolved.
12. Prick the cooked cake with a fork and pour the liquid over.

Serving Suggestions

Lovely slightly warm, with:

• Thick yoghurt or crème fraîche
• A dusting of icing sugar
• Or a spoonful of softly whipped cream

The cake keeps well for 2–3 days, improving as the citrus and almond settle.