# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - Unsalted butter, softened — 7 oz (about 1 3/4 sticks), plus extra for greasing
02 - Caster (superfine) sugar — 1 cup
03 - Large eggs — 3
04 - Blood orange zest — from 2 blood oranges
05 - Fine polenta (cornmeal) — 2/3 cup
06 - Ground almonds (almond meal) — 1 1/3 cups
07 - Gluten-free baking powder — 1 1/2 teaspoons
08 - Salt — pinch
09 - Blood orange juice — 1/4 cup (about 1–2 oranges)
10 - Vanilla extract — 1 teaspoon
→ Glaze
11 - Powdered (confectioners') sugar — 1 cup
12 - Blood orange juice, strained — 2 to 3 tablespoons (adjust for desired consistency)
→ Decoration (optional)
13 - Blood orange slices
14 - Edible flowers
# Cooking Steps:
01 - Preheat the oven to 340°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl using an electric mixer or by hand, cream the softened butter and caster sugar until the mixture is pale and light in texture.
03 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition to maintain a smooth, emulsified batter.
04 - Fold in the blood orange zest and the vanilla extract until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
05 - In a separate bowl whisk together the fine polenta, ground almonds, baking powder and a pinch of salt to ensure an even distribution of leavening.
06 - Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients with a spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
07 - Stir in the blood orange juice until the batter is uniform and slightly loose but not runny.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula to an even thickness.
09 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set, then invert onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
11 - Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and whisk in blood orange juice, one tablespoon at a time, until you achieve a thick but pourable glaze with a rosy tint.
12 - When the cake is fully cool, drizzle the glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides; finish with blood orange slices and edible flowers if using.
