Cosmopolitan Bundt
The fruit flavours of orange, lime and cranberry, combined with Cointreau and vodka, work wonderfully in this polenta bundt cake.
Hands-on time 15min. Cooking time about 50min, plus cooling. Serves 12
for the cake 275g (10oz) unsalted butter, ✶ softened, plus extra, melted, for greasing 150g (5oz) polenta, plus ✶ extra for preparing the tin 275g (10oz) caster sugar
✶ 4 large eggs ✶ 125g (4oz) plain flour ✶ 2tsp baking powder ✶ Zest of 2 large oranges, ✶ plus juice of 1 2tbsp Cointreau
✶ for the syrup 100ml (3½fl oz) cranberry juice
✶ 50g (2oz) caster sugar ✶ Juice of 1 lime (about 2tbsp) ✶ 2tbsp Cointreau ✶ 2tbsp vodka ✶ for the glacé icing 1½tbsp cranberry juice
✶ 150g (5oz) icing sugar, sifted ✶ 1tbsp dried cranberries, ✶ roughly chopped
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Brush a 2 litre (3½ pint) bundt tin with melted butter, add a couple of tablespoons of polenta and tilt the tin so that it coats the inside.
2 In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well in between each addition. If the mixture begins to split, whisk in 1tbsp of flour.
3 In a bowl, mix together the polenta, flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add this to the egg mixture and fold in. Finally, fold in the orange zest, 3tbsp orange juice and Cointreau. Reserve any remaining juice from the orange for the syrup (about 1tbsp).
4 Scrape mixture into the tin and bake for 40min. Meanwhile, make the syrup: put the cranberry juice, sugar and reserved orange juice into a pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, increase the heat and simmer for 3-5min until syrupy. Add lime juice, Cointreau and vodka, mix well, and set aside.
5 Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10min. Using a skewer, poke holes halfway down into the cake (be careful not to go through to the bottom) and slowly spoon over the syrup. Leave to cool for a further 30min in the tin, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
6 For the icing, mix cranberry juice into icing sugar until smooth and thick.
7 Transfer the cooled cake to a cake stand or platter. Drizzle over icing and scatter with chopped cranberries.
PER SERVING 470cals, 5g protein, 21g fat (13g saturates), 60g carbs (43g total sugars), 1g fibre
GET AHEAD Bake the cake up to a day ahead. When completely cool, store in an airtight container. Decorate just before serving. Any leftover cake will keep for up to 3 days in a cool place.