Polenta Cake

Top This Lemony Polenta Cake With Peaches for a Late Summer Treat

Be the first to rate & review!

Spoon any seasonal fruit on top of this cake, which is scented with lemon and almonds and gets its richness from sour cream.

Anna Theoktisto

Updated on September 23, 2023

Tested by

Melissa Gray

Polenta Cake with Almonds and Lemon — Photo:
Carson Downing / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco

Active Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 25 mins

Servings:

Yield:

8 slices

This cake is custardy, tender, and moist with a bit of toothsome texture from the polenta. It’s sweet with a subtle lemon flavor, and the fresh, juicy peaches on top are a nice contrast to the sweet, earthy corn and and a great way to showcase fruit at the peak of its freshness.

Frequently asked questions

What is polenta?

Polenta is the name of both a coarsely milled yellow cornmeal, and the Italian dish traditionally made with it, which originated in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Polenta is traditionally made from yellow corn and is slightly coarser than grits.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

The sour cream is essential to this cake. It adds enough moisture to the cake to hydrate the polenta and give the cake a really nice crumb and mouthfeel.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Baking spray with flour
1 1/2 cups (about 6 1/2 ounces) super-fine blanched almond flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup (about 2 3/8 ounces) yellow corn polenta (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 cup (about 2 1/8 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons fresh juice (from 1 lemon), divided
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large (10-ounce) unpeeled peaches, pitted and sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 4 cups)
Powdered sugar, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper; lightly spray paper with baking spray, and set aside.
Whisk together almond flour, polenta, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until combined; set aside.
Beat together eggs, lemon zest, and 1 cup of the granulated sugar with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on high speed until mixture is thickened, doubled in size, and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. With mixer on high speed, slowly drizzle in olive oil until fully combined, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low, and add flour mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating until just combined after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl, and pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake cake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan; remove and discard parchment paper, and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
Stir together peaches, lemon juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature, until sugar dissolves and peaches begin to release their juices, about 15 minutes. Dust top of cake with powdered sugar. Spoon macerated peaches on top of cake. Slice and serve.