This decadent, moist Chocolate Orange Cake is vegan and gluten-free. It is made with polenta, ground cornmeal. I really don’t think polenta gets enough credit. It’s like the Ringo Star of the grains, although maybe that’s a bad example. I can’t actually think of one that’s better than that one right now but if I do ill shoehorn it in.
Polenta is basically a humble cornmeal mush that is put together to make something better. Its tastes is basically, well very much like its mother’s, corny. When uncooked, it’s simply a yellow, powdery dust, but it undergoes a magical transformation when toasted and becomes beautifully crisp- breadcrumb coatings, move aside, polenta is in da house (good news for the coeliacs).
This cake turned out surprisingly moist, given it was only polenta (no other grain or nut to mask its features) – it was almost brownie-like, and that’s always a good thing! Quite similar to my Lemon Polenta Cake but with chocolate.
Questions about Chocolate Orange Cake
How to make Chocolate Orange Cake?
To make Chocolate Orange Cake, you will need polenta, rapeseed oil, maple syrup, juice of 2 oranges, plant milk, baking powder, cocoa powder and orange oil extract. Combine all ingredients to make a grainy batter. Pour into a baking tin lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for 35 minutes and allow to cool before serving.
Chocolate Orange Cake Substitutions
- Sugar can replace maple syrup in this recipe
- Polenta can be subbed in a 50/50 ratio with almond flour and/or coconut flour
- Coconut oil can be replaced by rapeseed oil or other flavourless oil. Unlike coconut oil, rapeseed oil is not solid at room temperature. However, in this recipe, the baking process means this factor will not have an impact on the crumble’s texture.
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This Chocolate Orange Cake is…
- Moist
- Gooey
- Tangy
- Orangey
- Chocolatey
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Plant-based
Chocolate Orange Cake
Ingredients
- 300 g coarse polenta
- 150 ml rapeseed oil
- 150 ml maple syrup
- The juice and zest of 2 large oranges
- 75 ml soy milk
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- ½ tsp orange extract/oil
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180C
- For the cake, combine all dry ingredients together
- Mix all of the wet ingredients together and pour into the dry
- Whisk together to achieve a creamy batter
- Pour into a greased cake tin, lined with greaseproof paper
- Bake for 35 minutes and leave to cool. Top with melted dairy-free chocolate and crushed nuts (optional)
Notes
- Polenta can be subbed in a 50/50 ratio with almond flour and/or coconut flour
- Sugar can be used instead of maple syrup
- Rapeseed oil can be replaced with any other type of oil
- Any plant milk can be used in place of soy milk
Nutrition
Made this Recipe?
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Nice recipe
Thank you so much @mistimaan 🙂 If you make it, let me knowhow it goes!
Could I make this without the orange. Just as a chocolate polenta cake?
You absolutely could – though it may be slightly dry without the orange syrup so having a chocolate frosting in the middle and/or on top could help eliminate that. Hope that helps! Reena x
Can I ask a couple of questions please? What size cake tin do you use? Can the recipe be doubled successfully? Can the whole orange be used? I have fine polenta on hand and thought this would make a lovely cake but I notice you state to use coarse polenta. Can I use my fine for this? I was excited to see this recipe with polenta as some of these type of recipes use almond flour and my daughter is anaphylactic with ALL nuts. Thankyou. I’d love to give this a try
This looks delicious! What size cake pan did you use to make this?
Hi Tracy, apologies for my late reply, I’ve just had a baby so life has been chaotic to say the least! I used a tin that had an 18cm diameter. Reena x