Citrus flavoured cakes are zingy and refreshing! Clementines are one of my favourite winter fruit and you may have some still lingering in your fruit bowl after Christmas. When paired with warming spices like cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg the take on a different flavour. Make the most of what’s left of the clementine season with this Spiced Clementine Polenta Cake. It’s also gluten free too!
While the majority is thinking about detoxing and juicing after the festive season, my first recipe post of 2017 is for a cake…ahem! As you probably know by now, I’m not into juice detoxes or faddy diets to lose weight or to regain a sense of health again. I indulged over Christmas, but I’m not about to give up cake now that Christmas is over, life is far too short for that.
- 200 g fine polenta
- 100 g ground almonds
- 150 g coconut sugar
- 5 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp all spice
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- Juice and zest of 3 clementines
-
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees and prepare and line a baking tin (9 inches).
-
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Transfer the mixture into the baking tin.
-
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
After a period of indulging, I like to cut back and not cut out certain foods in order to restore the balance that my body craves so much. This includes reducing my refined sugar and processed foods intake and increasing my consumption of more wholesome foods such as lean meats, whole grains, vitamin-rich vegetables and healthy fats. For me, faddy diets are temporary, restrictive and damaging – having a healthy relationship with food and your body helps you move forward and equips you to make the right choices so you become the healthiest version of yourself.
Rant over, now back to the cake…
Gluten free cakes can be difficult to bake, especially when using alternative flours. They tend to dry out a lot and don’t have that fluffy texture inside which traditional cakes have. I have most of my gluten baking success, using a mix of polenta and ground almonds which really works well. The ground almonds help to lift the polenta and holds everything together. Both are also fantastic at soaking up flavours, so this cake has a potent sweet citrus flavour that I really like with the added spices.
I prefer to serve this slightly warm with a huge dollop of full-fat Greek yoghurt drizzled with honey if I’m wanting to be healthier. Of course, ice cream or custard are also just as welcome. Life is all about balance and at a time when everyone is dieting mad, I’m encouraging you to eat cake for your health and happiness.
Happy new year! This looks delicious, and I love the sound of the polenta and ground almonds. I am the same, they have been the best gluten free ingredients that I have found. I’ve had a similar recipe before where you boil the clementines whole, then blitz them in a food processor and add to the cake mix- it goes quite tart which is lovely.
This sounds great and it looks very colorful too. Thanks for sharing
Oh this just sounds delightful! I adore orange flavours so this would be a real treat!
I really love clementines, I eat so many of them when they are in season. This looks like a delicious cake, I’ve not baked with polenta before, I may give this a try.
WOW! This is so pretty and after reading the ingredients I know I would love this cake!
Happy new year! this sounds and looks delicous i love polenta cake and i like the sound of this refreshing combination.
That. Sounds. AMAZING! Why have I never tried fruit cake like this before? It’s on my to bake list now!
Have you got that kettle on as I am on my way as this just looks amazing what beautiful pictures too just mouthwatering
ive only tried a cheese polenta, not a fruit one. this sounds so delicious. I’m so intrigued
A spiced clementine polenta cake sounds like an exciting alternative to my usual tiramisu yum!
This is so delightful looking! And that color…incredible!
Oh wow this looks amazing -might have to make it this weekend x
This looks so good! I agree with you about faddy diets, eating well as a lifestyle choice (with treats included!) is the best way to go.
I’ve not cooked much with polenta yet for some reason (I think the corn flavour isn’t my favourite), but they make such popular cakes maybe I should get over that. This looks wonderful and I’m so with you on the balance thing. Lovely way to start the year with cake!
Just the name of this cake makes my mouth water! This is definitely a recipe I’ll be trying out!
I still need to try polenta in baking, as I have only made chips and grits with it. The flavours of this sound lovely.
I love cakes like this when I’m out and about but I’ve never tried making one before! Definitely with you on not giving up cake for January – life is far too short! x
I love the texture of polenta cakes and this zingy citrus one sounds amazing!
Oh wow this looks absolutely delicious. My friends mam makes something like this but adds a glaze, a bit like a lemon drizzle cake xxx
Several of my favourite ingredients mixed into a cake. I’m not even going to try and resist. I shall have a go at this one over the weekend.
I didn’t know you could use polenta to make something like a cake! Looks tasty, I’d love to try this out myself 🙂
I’ve never tried making a polenta cake but really want to give it a whirl, and I adore clementines so I may try this one!
This sounds so good, I always tend to gravitate towards citrus cakes. I am not one for detoxing and fad diets either, just cutting back on the junk food and keeping everything in moderation for sure
This is such a beautiful cake – I’ve actually never tried polenta in a cake before. I love the decoration on top too – simple yet effective.
Oh this looks amazing just the title alone drew me in. I have never baked with pollenta before but this might have to be my first
Polenta is one of those foods I’ve never tried cooking with even though I periodically buy it and then forget about it. I’d never have thought of baking a cake with it though. Something for me to try in the next few months
Ooh this sounds so lovely!
I really need to get back into baking 🙂
Dani x
Oh my days, I’m pretty sure I ate something like this years ago on holiday and I’ve always wondered what it was! I’m definitely trying this out cause I’m positive this sounds like it could be the one!!!
I pinned this the other day because it just looks divine! I’m definitely going to try making it soon 🙂
Louise x
Never baked with Palenta, but I am looking forward to trying this out with my sister…