# What You'll Need:
→ Cake
01 - 7/8 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup superfine (caster) sugar
03 - 3 large eggs
04 - Zest of 2 blood oranges
05 - 5/8 cup fine polenta (cornmeal)
06 - 4.6 oz ground almonds (almond meal)
07 - 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
08 - Pinch of salt
09 - 1/4 cup blood orange juice
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Glaze
11 - 1 cup powdered (confectioners') sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons blood orange juice, strained
→ Decoration (optional)
13 - Blood orange slices
14 - Edible flowers
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 340°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and superfine sugar together until pale and light in texture.
03 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to maintain an emulsion.
04 - Fold in the blood orange zest and vanilla extract until evenly distributed.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk the polenta, ground almonds, baking powder and salt to combine and aerate.
06 - Gently fold the dry mixture into the butter-egg mixture until just incorporated; avoid overmixing to keep the texture tender.
07 - Stir in the blood orange juice just until the batter is homogeneous.
08 - Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth the surface and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
10 - Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl and gradually whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons blood orange juice until you obtain a thick, pourable glaze with a rosy hue.
11 - When the cake is fully cool, drizzle the glaze over the top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Garnish with blood orange slices and edible flowers as desired.
