This rustic vegan lemon polenta cake recipe is old world delicious. The course texture of the polenta softens when the sweet and tart lemon syrup is drizzled over the top to gently soak into the cake. This recipe will bring a bit of lemony sunshine to these long winter days. As with all our recipes this cake is whole food plant based, gluten-free, and refined oil & sugar free.
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Ingredients
Cake
1 cup (125g) polenta
1 cup (80g) rolled oats, ground into flour
1 1/2 cup (180g) almond flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon lemon zest
liquid from one can of chickpeas, about 2/3 cup (156ml)
1 cup (225g) pitted dates
1/4 cup (59ml) water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup (118ml) lemon juice
Lemon Syrup
1/2 cup (118ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (112g) dates
3/4 cup (177ml) water
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or corn starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Mix together the polenta, oat flour, almond flour, baking soda and lemon zest.
- Pour the chickpea liquid (aquafaba) into another bowl and whip with a hand mixer until it forms stiff peaks, about 4 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients to blender and blend until dates are pulverized.
- Pour the blender mixture into the flour mixture and mix well.
- Gently fold in the whipped chickpea liquid (aquafaba) until it is well incorporated.
- Pour into a 9 inch silicone round cake pan or a lightly oiled cake pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 35 minutes.
- Let cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the lemon syrup ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Turn heat down to a simmer and stir constantly until it is the thickness desired.
- Loosen the edges of the cake with a butter knife.
- Place a plate upside down on the cake pan and gently turn the pan over, holding the plate.
- Pour the lemon syrup over the cake.
- Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
11 comments
Looks heavenly!
This sounds delicious! Love using lemons in cakes, this sounds like a great combination 😋
If a family member is allergic to almond can I sub with a different flour? Thanks this cake looks so yummy I would love to make it. Appreciate your help, have a wonderful day and be safe 😉👍
I would try something like coconut flour,walnut or cashew flour because it really needs the fat from the nuts to make it a bit moist.
Can you suggest options for this recipe and others of yours asking for almond flour(meal). I have a serious allergy to almonds.
I haven’t tried any substitutions for this recipe, sorry.
I made it Super Bowl Sunday
Oh sooooo delish like all your savvy recipes!
Love the little crunchees from the polenta
Added more lemon zest to the cooled lemon syrup
Was great!
Thank you Jill et al!
Can I use something besides the aquafaba? Maybe flaxegg?
I haven’t tried substituting the aquafaba, sorry. It helps give the cake some lift. Flax eggs won’t do that.
Could I use orange jest and orange juice instead of the Lemon? I bet it would be awesome…Be safe and all you do for all of us.
I haven’t tried that but I think it should still work.