Blood orange polenta upside down cake

My family absolutely loves my lemon polenta cake so it was just a matter of time when I would make an orange variation… and when I saw those beautiful blood oranges I knew I had to get them! And I new what I was going to make.. of course.

Remember to use gluten-free baking powder if making a gluten-free cake.


Ingredients:

For the oranges in syrup:

• 3 blood oranges
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup water

For the cake:

• 160g soft, unsalted butter
• 3 eggs (in room temperature)
• 130g ground almonds
• 145g caster sugar
• 100g polenta
• 2tsp baking powder
• zest and juice of two lemons
• 2tsp orange blossom water

Wash the oranges and cut into about 3mm slices (they should be not too thick but not too thin either).  Place the sugar, water and oranges in a saucepan and cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes until the fruit is soft and the mixture has become syrupy.

Take the oranges out the pan and set aside, keep the syrup for brushing on top of the cake.

Quickly beat the butter until fluffy, then add the eggs, sugar, almonds, polenta and baking powder and mix until well combined.  

Add the zest and juice of two lemons and orange blossom water and mix.

Line a 20cm cake tin with baking parchment and arrange orange slices on the bottom.

Pour the cake mixture on top and bake in a pre-heated oven at 170C for about 35 minutes.

The cake is ready when golden brown and the skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Take the cake out the oven and leave to cool a little, then take out the tin, turn up-side-down and peel of the baking paper.  Leave to cool completely.  Brush remaining syrup on top.


Enjoy!