Polenta Cake with Rhubarb

To achieve the best texture, I recommend blanched almond flour and fine polenta or very finely ground yellow cornmeal. Regular milk may be substituted for the coconut milk, but the subtle flavor of the coconut milk is complimentary to the other flavors in this recipe and adds good moisture.

Yields 8 servings.

Ingredients

1 cup (120 grams/4 ounces) diced rhubarb
½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
⅔ cup (125 grams/4.5 ounces) plus 2 teaspoons sugar, divided use
2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup (120 ml/4.25 ounces) canned coconut milk (I typically use light)
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
1 cup (112 grams/4 ounces) blanched almond flour
¾ cup (130 grams/4.5 ounces) fine polenta or cornmeal (the fine texture is important here)
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Optional for serving: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease one 9-inch round cake pan. I like to also line it with a round of parchment paper for easy removal.
Dice the rhubarb. In a small bowl, toss the rhubarb with the 2 teaspoons of sugar, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, polenta, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand beater or a stand mixer, beat the butter and the 2/3 cup sugar until light yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the coconut milk and the vanilla, beating well after each addition. The mixture may appear slightly curdled; this is normal.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (I like to add half at a time), and beat to combine.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Drain the diced rhubarb (the sugar will draw out a good bit of moisture), and sprinkle the rhubarb over the top of the batter.
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and firm to the touch in them center.
Transfer to a rack to cool. Enjoy plain or with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.