This orange-ginger polenta cake is a vegan dessert made with whole oranges, fresh ginger, maple syrup, applesauce, polenta, and almond flour. It uses two unpeeled oranges, so it cuts down on food waste and brings strong citrus flavor into the cake. Boiling the oranges first softens the rind and removes bitterness before blending.

Linda Tyler includes this recipe in The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook. Polenta, also sold as cornmeal, gives the cake a dense, moist texture and a golden color. Fresh ginger adds warmth, while maple syrup and applesauce sweeten the batter. Plant-based yogurt or nondairy milk helps bring everything together.

Read more: Vegan Almond Cherry Pie

Serve this cake chilled, warm, or at room temperature. It suits winter holidays because of the orange and ginger, but oranges are easy to find year-round. Add vegan whipped cream, thin orange slices, berries, cherries, compote, or sugar-free marmalade. The cake keeps in the fridge for four to five days and can also be frozen.

This recipe was reprinted with permission from Linda Tyler of Gracious Vegan and excerpted from The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook. You can find her website here and her YouTube channel here.

Bake this vegan orange-ginger polenta cake

This zero-waste vegan cake uses two whole oranges, fresh ginger, polenta, almond flour, maple syrup, and applesauce. It makes one 9-inch cake or two 8-inch layers and works with fruit, compote, or vegan whipped cream.

Orange-Ginger Polenta Cake with applesauce, maple syrup, vegan whipped cream and almond flour

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Servings (9-inch) round cake or 2 (8-inch) round layers

Ingredients

2 whole navel oranges unpeeled
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup applesauce
¼ cup plain or vanilla plant-based yogurt or nondairy milk
2–3 tablespoons fresh ginger finely chopped
1½ cups polenta or cornmeal
1¼ cups almond flour or well-ground almonds
1½ teaspoons baking powder
Vegan whipped cream for serving
Thin orange slices for serving

Instructions

Cook the oranges: In a large saucepan, cover the oranges with water. Cover the pan, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the oranges for 45 minutes. Remove the oranges and let them cool for about 15 minutes. Once cooled, cut each orange into 8–12 chunks, leaving the peel on.
Preheat the oven: Preheat to 375°F. Line 1 (9-inch) round cake pan or 2 (8-inch) pans with parchment paper.
Blend the oranges: In a blender, combine the oranges with maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt/milk, and ginger. Blend until the oranges are partially pureed, leaving some small chunks. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, stir or whisk together the polenta, almond flour, and baking powder.
Combine and bake: Pour the blended orange mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and bake 45–55 minutes, or until the edges are dark golden. The top may crack slightly, which is fine.
Cool and serve: Let the cake(s) cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. Once cooled, remove from the pan(s). Serve with vegan whipped cream and orange slices if desired.
The cake will last 4–5 days in the refrigerator, although it may dry out slightly. It can also be frozen.

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