Brazilian Polenta Cake

This Polenta Cake or Bolo de Fubá as we know it in Brazil is a typical dish made specially during the Winter harvest festival or Festa Junina where everyone comes together to celebrate the bounty produce that is available for the colder months to come. This cake is originally made with lots of milk and butter, but for this recipe I found a vegan alternative that makes it cheaper and extremely easy to make.

Some recipes are synonymous with comfort and bring us happy memories of childhood. My grandmother (on my mother’s side) served this cake for breakfast.

Ingredients:

  • 75 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing , (at room temperature)
  • 120 g fubáor super-fine yellow polenta, plus extra for dusting
  • 4 large free-range eggs
  • 360 g caster sugar
  • 240 g plain flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 250 ml whole milk

Preparation:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas 4. Grease a loaf tin and dust with sifted polenta meal.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy using an electric hand mixer. Gradually add the sugar and continue whisking until firm peaks form. Set aside.
  3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and fubá or polenta. Set aside.
  4. Beat together the butter and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Stir in the milk, then add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
  5. Fold the whisked egg whites into the batter using slow movements until well incorporated.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Tip:

The original cake is made with fubá, a very fine cornmeal available at Brazilian shops. If you are using polenta or other cornmeal instead, remember the finer the texture, the better.

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