This delicious cake has become an instant family favorite. I’ve made two in the past week, and David and Julia have requested another for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. Like Roasted Rhubarb with Orange and Spices, it marries the tart flavor of rhubarb with oranges and cinnamon, but this time the tender fruit is a filling encased in a sweet, crumbly orange-flavored polenta cake. It’s irresistible –and a nice alternative to the traditional Memorial Day strawberry shortcake. The recipe is simple and forgiving, but make sure you use coarse polenta for this: ordinary cornmeal won’t give you the gritty, crumbly texture you want.
Recipe
(adapted from “Rhubarb cinnamon polenta cake” in Ripe, A cook in the orchard by Nigel Slater)
Ingredients
for the filling:
about 1 pound (500g) rhubarb (trimmed weight)
1/4 cup granulated or baker’s sugar
4 tablespoons water
for the crust:
3/4 cup (125g) coarse polenta
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (200g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated or baker’s sugar
finely grated zest of 1 small orange
10 tablespoons (150g) butter
1 large egg
2-4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon of demerara sugar (or “sugar in the raw” or white sanding sugar)
Instructions
1. Lightly butter an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) and put a baking sheet in the oven to get it hot.
2. Trim the rhubarb, cut it into short pieces and put it in a baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar and water over it and bake it (uncovered) until it’s soft but still holds its shape, about 30-40 minutes. (If the dish gets dry, add a couple of tablespoons of water.)
3. Take the rhubarb pieces out of the dish and place them in a colander or sieve placed over a bowl to drain. Reserve the delicious pink rhubarb juice to serve with the cake.
4. Put the polenta, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and sugar into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Grate the orange zest into the work bowl and then add the butter, cut into about 1/2 inch (1cm) cubes. Pulse until you have something that looks like damp sawdust. Break the egg into a small bowl, add the 2 tablespoons of milk and whisk together with a fork. Then add the mixture to the food processor and blend just until it all comes together to form a soft, sticky dough — but no longer. If it isn’t at all sticky, add a little more of the milk.
5. Press about two-thirds of the mixture into the cake pan, pushing it about 3/4 inch (2cm) up the sides with a floured spoon to make a sort of shallow container for the rhubarb. (Make sure there are no gaps or large cracks.)
6. Place the rhubarb in this dough container and then crumble the remaining dough over the top with your fingertips, and don’t worry if the rhubarb isn’t completely covered. Top with the demerara or sanding sugar.
7. Place on the hot baking sheet and bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Wait until the pan is cool enough to handle before attempting to remove the cake as it’s very fragile when it’s hot.
Serve sliced with a spoonful of the reserved rhubarb juice and maybe a dollop of whipped cream.
