BLOOD ORANGE, RICOTTA & POLENTA CAKE

Makes one 22cm cake

220g caster sugar

Juice and zest of 1 blood orange, finely grated

100g unsalted butter, softened 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

3 large eggs

200g fresh ricotta, strained

240g almond meal

2 tsp gluten-free baking powder

80g fine polenta

Pinch of salt

1 blood orange, thinly sliced 2 tbsp flaked almonds

Sugar glaze

55g caster sugar

1 tbsp blood orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced and grease a 22cm round springform tin well with butter. Line the base and sides with baking paper.

2. Place sugar and zest in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low for a minute or so to allow the zest to infuse with the sugar. Add butter and vanilla and beat until well combined and light.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. When eggs are incorporated, beat in ricotta and mix until smooth.

3. Combine almond meal, baking powder, polenta and salt in a separate bowl and whisk together. Add half to the creamed butter mixture, stirring gently, before adding the blood orange juice.

Once incorporated, add the remaining almond meal mixture, stirring gently until combined.

4. Spoon batter into prepared tin, smoothing the top before arranging orange slices gently on top. Sprinkle over flaked almonds and bake for 60-70 minutes or until cake is golden and cooked through and orange slices are starting to caramelise.

Allow to cool in the tin for a few minutes while you stir together the extra caster sugar and juice for the glaze. Spoon over hot cake and allow to cool before eating.

TIP: While it’s best eaten on the day it is made, this cake keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two.

OPPOSITE: ‘Crackle’ wall plate, $80, Oliver Carney. ‘Round’ jug in Pistachio, $25, Mud Australia. For a similar placemat, try French flax linen scalloped placemats in Sage & Olive, $80/set of 4, Bed Threads. For a similar knife, see the selection on Etsy.

BLOOD ORANGE, RICOTTA & POLENTA CAKE See recipe opposite