This polenta cake is perfect for breakfast, dessert, or snacking on the go! It's fudgy and dense, incredibly delicious and perfect topped with a thick slather of nut butter.
I would consider this polenta cake to be a breakfast cake. And yes, cake for breakfast is a thing.
To be honest, so is cake for every meal and snack but it's especially great for breakfast. After all, mornings don't get much better than a cup of your favourite coffee and a slice of sweet deliciousness.
But I bet you've never thought of eating polenta for dessert or breakfast, huh? So get ready to be amazed.
This polenta cake is:
- Packed with delicious berries and almonds. Yum!
- It's dense and soft in the center, and crunchy on the outside - almost like a slightly sweeter banana bread. The best for on-the-go snacking!
- It's gluten-free, as long as you use gluten-free rolled oats.
- Oil-free also!
- All the ingredients are healthy and minimally processed, making it a great alternative to store-brought bars as a pre-workout energy boost.
- It has just the right amount of sweetness: not too sweet, but definitely not bland either.
- Naturally vegan. But enthusiastically approved by non-vegans.
- Amazing for sharing with family or friends on a weekend morning - maybe whip some up for a brunch buffet?!
I rediscovered polenta a few weeks ago and became obsessed straight away. It's wonderful by itself or any of these delicious polenta recipes. But in desserts and sweet treats? Mesmerizing.
Hence, I went ahead and created this healthy polenta cake with blueberries, strawberries and almonds.
As I said already, the best time to enjoy these polenta cake slices is for breakfast. Slather them with a nut or seed butter of your choice, sprinkle on some extra almonds and eat while journaling or drinking your morning beverage.
But of course, it's just as perfect for dessert after every meal. I love it with a thick layer of pumpkin seed butter. And every time, the whole loaf disappears within a day even though there's only two of us eating it. 😉
However, this cake is definitely on the healthier side and therefore ideal for a make-ahead snack to take to work or school.
While there are plenty of good pre-made sweets out there, a slice of coffee shop cake can easily cost $3-4. Even protein and energy bars can quickly add up.
So, I prefer to make my own snacks whenever possible because they're not only tastier, but far cheaper too!
How to Make Polenta Cake
Here is quick run down of how to make this tasty cake. Scroll to the bottom of this post for the detailed printable recipe instructions.
1. Stir together the dry ingredients
These are super simple: polenta, coconut flour, gluten-free rolled oats and baking powder. If you want to, you can add spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon to make the kitchen smell even better.
2. Stir together the wet ingredients
Firstly, mash some very ripe bananas in your mixing bowl. The more ripe, the sweeter they are, so this is a great way to use up any that you have lying around. Then, add in nut/seed butter (my favorite is peanut or cashew butter), liquid sweetener and nut milk such as almond or soy. Whisk everything together really well using either an electric whisk or a fork if you don't have one.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and add a flax egg
Pour the wet and dry ingredients into a single mixing bowl and stir until they're well combined. Add a flax egg, which is made by stirring together flaxseeds with double the amount of water, stirring well, and setting aside for 10-15 minutes. As you can guess, this is a fantastic egg alternative for sweet and savory recipes alike. The batter should be quite sticky and firm, but if it's too dry and doesn't stick together well, gradually pour in a bit more plant based milk.
4. Add strawberries, blueberries and flaked almonds.
How much you add is a matter of personal preference. I don't go overboard because I like them as an accessory that doesn't quite take the spotlight. However, if you want this cake to be more on the fruitier/nuttier side, feel free to go all out.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 minutes
I'd recommend using a rectangular/square baking dish or a loaf tin to make this. I used this 9x12 baking dish from Le Creuset. Press down the batter quite firmly (this is key to getting a fudgy texture) and if you want to, sprinkle some extra almonds/berries on top.
Now, the exact baking time may vary depending on the size of the dish you use. Just keep checking every couple of minutes after the 25 minute mark to make sure it doesn't start to burn around the edges. You know the cake is ready when it's firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean when you test it.
6. Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes.
I know it may be tempting to dig in straight away, but this step is once again important for dense fudginess.
7. Serve and enjoy!
Cut into either squares or rectangles, spread on some nut butter or a chocolate hazelnut spread (try this vegan nutella!) and add a few fresh berries. 'Yum' is a massive understatement!
Tips and Tricks
Add other berries and nuts of your choice. The strawberry/blueberry/almond combination is just a very tasty suggestion. Walnuts or pistachios would work well too, as well as figs and blackberries if you want to change up the fruit.
You can replace the liquid sweetener with another ½ a banana, if you prefer.
You can store the polenta cake in the fridge for 2-3 days without it drying out. Although, it's unlikely that a treat this good can last that long. If you want to, reheat it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to make it just as good as when freshly baked.
More Recipes to Try
If you love this polenta cake, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:
- How to Make Your Own Polenta
- 25 Drool-worthy Chocolate Cakes
- 15 Incredible Pound Cake Recipes
- Easy Almond Cake
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup polenta
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 2 large ripe bananas
- ¼ cup peanut butter, *
- ¼ cup date syrup, **
- ½ cup plant milk
- 2 flax eggs, (2 tablespoon flaxeed + 3 tablespoon water, stirred and set aside for 10-15 minutes)
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup strawberries
- ⅓ cup flaked almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Stir together the dry ingredients - polenta, coconut flour, gluten-free rolled oats and baking powder. If you want to, you can add spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon to make the kitchen smell even better.
- Mash some very ripe bananas in another mixing bowl. The more ripe, the sweeter they are, so this is a great way to use up any that you have lying around. Then, add in nut/seed butter (my favorite is peanut or cashew butter), liquid sweetener and nut milk such as almond or soy. Whisk everything together really well using either an electric whisk or a fork if you don't have one.
- Pour the wet and dry ingredients into a single mixing bowl and stir until they're well combined.
- Add a flax egg and mix to combine. (A flax egg is made by tirring together ground flaxseeds and water. See note in ingredients list.) The batter should be quite sticky and firm, but if it's too dry and doesn't stick together well, gradually pour in a bit more plant based milk.
- Fold in strawberries, blueberries and flaked almonds. You can add more or less, to your taste.
- Pour the polenta cake batter into a lightly greased 9x12 baking dish. Press down the batter quite firmly (this is key to getting a fudgy texture) and if you want to, sprinkle some extra almonds/berries on top.
- Bake for 35 minutes. Note that the baking time may vary depending on your oven and the baking dish you use. Keep checking every couple of minutes after the 25 minute mark to make sure it doesn't start to burn around the edges. You know the cake is ready when it's firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean when you test it.
- Allow the polenta cake to cool for at least 10 minutes, then serve!
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