Orange Cardamom Polenta Cake

My roommates and I started calling this cake the “anytime cake” when we realized that its sublet sweetness and maleable flavor made it perfectly acceptable to eat at any time of the day. Served with a cup of coffee in the morning or with poached pears and ice cream for dessert, it became not only anytime cake, by everytime cake, as we found ourselves craving it at all hours of the day, sneaking back into the kitchen from our rooms on work from home days for bites before lunch or for a mid-day snack. This cake is easy to make and so good, you are going to want to eat it all in one sitting.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup almond flour
2/3 cup gluten-free flour
1/2cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/2teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) vegan butter softened (I use @earthbalance soy-free sticks)
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
4 tbsp orange juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, beat together butter and sugars. Add eggs, 2 at a time, mixing well after each addition until the mixture is smooth.
4. Add vanilla, orange juice, and orange zest. Mix until just combined.
5. Add dry ingredients to butter sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Add olive oil and mix again until well combined.
6. Spread evenly in a greased springform pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick, when inserted, comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with ice cream. Perfect for dessert or served with coffee.