Today's Tasty Pick: Polenta Cake

Happy Tuesday!

You can never have too much sugar, right? Especially when it comes wrapped in a golden, buttery, citrus-kissed Polenta Cake.

This rustic treat is the perfect balance of sweet and hearty — with a satisfying texture that makes it stand out from your usual bakes. Whether you are serving it with a cup of coffee or dressing it up with berries and cream, this cake is bound to become a favourite.

How to make a Polenta Cake

Serves: 12
Preparation time: 25 Minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Cost per recipe: Serves 12 for under R150

Ingredients:
For the Polenta Cake:

200 g baking margarine, softened
250 ml (1 cup) castor sugar
7.5 ml (½ tbsp) vanilla essence
Zest of 2 lemons
4 eggs
330 ml (1⅓ cups) fine polenta
7.5 ml (½ tbsp) baking powder
2.5 ml (½ tsp) salt

For the stewed fruit:

200 g packet dried fruit mix
125 ml (½ cup) castor sugar
1 cinnamon stick
875 ml (3½ cups) brewed Rooibos tea

Method:

For the cake, preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20 cm cake tin with baking paper.
Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla, zest and eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined.
Combine the polenta, baking powder and salt. Fold through the wet ingredients. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the top.
Bake for about 55 minutes or until a testing skewer comes out clean. Cover with foil if it browns too much.
Meanwhile, for the stewed fruit, heat all the ingredients on medium heat in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the fruit starts to soften and a slightly thickened sugar syrup forms. Discard teabag.
Slowly drizzle the hot syrup (from the fruit) over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven to soak into the cake. Cool to room temperature.
Turn the cake over onto a serving dish and serve topped with the stewed fruit.

Tips:

If you can’t find fine polenta, blitz polenta in a food processor until a flour consistency. Sift.
Serve with sour cream, if you like. Make your own by mixing 250 g tub cream with 15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice. Set aside for a few minutes to thicken slightly.

*The image and recipe were supplied by The South African Poultry Association

HAVE YOU READ THIS: Today’s Tasty Pick: Crispy meringue cake