Donna's Polenta Cake

My photographer friend Donna Ruzzano lives in Cypress. She grew up on Federal Hill ~ The Little Italy of Providence. She worked for years at her parents Italian restaurant. She sent me this today.

Olive Oil and Polenta Cake

3 large or 4 small eggs
1 cup granulated sugar (I don't like it so sweet so I used 1.2 cup of natural sugar)
Freshly grated zest of 1 medium orange
Freshly grated zest of 1 medium lemon
1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour)
¾ cup instant polenta
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (I felt too much oil so I only used 1.2 cup it worked out ok)
Confectioner’s sugar for garnish

(I also used 1.4 cup of amaretto liqueur I also think vanilla bean could be nice)

Preheat the oven to 350º and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray or butter.

Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, and with the whisk attachment, beat them on medium speed until they are tripled in volume, fluffy and pale yellow in color.

While the eggs are beating, in a medium bowl combine the flour, polenta, baking powder and salt.

Alternate adding the dry ingredients to the egg mixture with the olive oil; begin with 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then add half the oil, followed by another 1/3 of dry ingredients, beating only until each addition is incorporated. Stop the mixer and briefly scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the remaining olive oil, followed by the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 25 to 30 minutes. Rotate the cake 180º halfway through the baking time to ensure even browning. The cake is done when it springs back lightly when touched and pulls away from the sides of the pan, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool the cake on a rack, in the pan, for 12 to 15 minutes, then carefully remove the sides of the pan and allow the cake to cool completely.

Before serving, dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar.

Makes 8 to 10 servings