Maple Polenta Pomegranate Cake

What do you do with leftover polenta (coarse ground cornmeal – Italian “grits”) and pomegranate seeds, knowing you have plenty of winter-perfect maple syrup in the pantry? 

 

(PURE, 100% MAPLE SYRUP 🍁 – don’t mess around with anything less).

Well, you bake a cake, OF COURSE!!!

 

As a neighbor said to me, “It’s beautiful, but it sounds strange as hell!” – THAT may be, but I’m super-duper proud of this out-of-the-blue concoction. Strange and incredibly delicious!!!
The other neighbor said, “OMG, that cake was amazing.”

 

THUS, no matter your palate or your taste preferences, the photos are at least magnificent! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 and I’m pretty sure this will knock your socks off. Yvette does not lie.

(Really, I’ve verified with several unbiased taste-testers and everyone agrees this is a winner!)

 

Truly, a winter treat: Maple Polenta Pomegranate Cake 

Maple Polenta Pomegranate Cake

Maple Polenta Cake:
1 stick salted butter, room temperature (8 Tbs.) + more for baking pan
1 cup coarse grain polenta (corn meal)
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, room temperature and separated (yolk from white)
1 cup maple syrup (+ 2 Tbs. for glaze)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

 

Maple Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1-2 Tbs. milk or almond milk

1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

 

In a clean, dry bowl, whip the 5 egg whites until fluffy and just barely stiff.

 

Transfer to a different bowl and set aside.

 

Next, beat together the polenta, flour, butter, egg yolks, maple syrup, baking powder, vanilla extract, and sea salt until thick and creamy. 

 

Fold in the egg whites.

 

Grease a 9″ cake pan with butter and line it with a parchment paper round.

 

Transfer the thick cake batter to the lined pan, spreading evenly.

 

Bake for about 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

 

Cool for 60-90 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, whisk together the Maple Glaze:
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbs. maple syrup, until smooth. 

 

Add a touch of milk or almond milk until cake batter consistency.

 

Once the cake has cooled, break away from the cake pan with a butter knife along all edges.
Invert onto a serving plate.

 

Remove the parchment paper and glaze, spreading so that the glaze drips down the sides of the cake.

 

Garnish with pomegranate seeds.

 

Slice and serve 😋!