Pistachio-Lime Polenta Cake Recipe | Leite’s Culinaria Leave a comment
This pistachio-lime polenta cake is an easy dessert or snack cake made with ground pistachios, polenta, lime juice and zest, sugar, and a mixture of olive oil and butter. Despite the richness that the nuts, oil, and butter lend to this lightly sweetened cake, it is very light and delicate in texture.
Adapted from Kathy Kordalis | Rice & Grains | Ryland Peters & Small, 2022
This cake is moist, delicate, light, gently nutty, and zesty all at the same time. It is the perfect tea cake, or serve as a dessert with a dollop of Greek yogurt on the side. The olive oil pairs very well with the lime and pistachio and makes for a very moist crumb.–Kathy Kordalis
Pistachio-Lime Polenta Cake FAQs
In many stores, yes. Superfine sugar also goes by the names: caster, ultrafine, or bar sugar. But, you can also make your own by blitzing granulated sugar in a food processor until finely ground, but not powdery.
Always use superfine sugar if a recipe calls for it specifically. There’s probably a good reason. Generally, because the texture of superfine sugar is much finer than regular sugar, it will melt and incorporate itself into batters, sauces, and bases more smoothly and quickly.
This cake will keep nicely for about four days. Let it cool completely, then place in an airtight container. It should be stored in a cool area (not necessarily a fridge although that’s ok too, but definitely keep it away from heat sources).
Pistachio-Lime Polenta Cake
This cake is moist, delicate, light, gently nutty, and zesty all at the same time. It is the perfect tea cake, or serve as a dessert with a dollop of Greek yogurt on the side. The olive oil pairs very well with the lime and pistachio and makes for a very moist crumb.
-
Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and butter a 9-inch (23-cm) springform cake pan.
-
Put the pistachios in a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
-
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter gently then combine with the olive oil in a small bowl.
-
Using a handheld mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl until light in color. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the butter and oil mixture into the whisked egg mixture a little at a time, until completely emulsified, 3 to 5 minutes.
-
Whisk the flour, polenta or cornmeal, baking powder, and ground pistachios into the egg mixture. Fold the lime juice and zest into the mixture with a rubber spatula.
-
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake in the middle of the oven until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Leave the cake to rest in the cake pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
-
Dust with confectioners’ sugar and sprinkle over the chopped pistachios. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt on the side, if desired.
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 519kcal (26%)Carbohydrates: 45g (15%)Protein: 9g (18%)Fat: 36g (55%)Saturated Fat: 10g (63%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 96mg (32%)Sodium: 30mg (1%)Potassium: 383mg (11%)Fiber: 4g (17%)Sugar: 27g (30%)Vitamin A: 540IU (11%)Vitamin C: 9mg (11%)Calcium: 72mg (7%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Originally published April 21, 2022
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
