on May 30th, 2007Polenta-vanilla bean cake
When I took the Pastry and Baking Intensives at Kump’s there was only one recipe in my repertoire – other than those by program director Nick Malgieri – I felt was divine enough to share with the staff. It was this. It’s a marvelous alternative to pound cake, which I also love, and biscuit-style shortcakes. I like it as a base for peach shortcake and it’s striking with a blackberry topping. It’s also wonderful on its own, especially with tea or coffee.
The recipe is from a Williams-Sonoma book, Cakes, Cupcakes & Cheesecakes. I’m a big fan of W-S cookbooks. Most provide measurements in ounces and grams as well as by volume, and they offer a glossary so people who are accustomed to, say, “icing sugar” can quickly see we call it “powdered” or “confectioners’ sugar.” The photography is beautiful and, most important, the recipes work.
If you can’t find polenta — it’s often labeled “instant” — fine-grained corn meal can be used. I have never made this with vanilla extract instead of a bean, so I have nothing to share about that substitution except that I’m sure it would taste different and, of course, the appeal of flecks of vanilla would be lost. The bean in the photo is a huge and potent Tahitian bean I got in NYC; half a Tahitian is fine. If you’d like to try weighing ingredients, this is a good one to start with, but don’t mix and match. Use either ounces or grams because the recipe is re-formulated for each, not merely “translated.”
Polenta-Vanilla Bean Cake
5 ounces (1 1/4 c.) cake (soft-wheat) flour — (155 grams)
3 1/2 ounces (2/3 c.) polenta — (105 grams)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces unsalted butter — (185 grams) — room temperature
1 vanilla bean — halved lengthwise
8 ounces (1 c.) sugar — (250 grams)
3 large eggs — room temperature
Position a rack in the middle of an oven and preheat to 350. Butter and flour an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Place the butter in a large bowl. Using a knife, scrape out the seeds from the vanilla bean into the bowl holding the butter. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter until light. Gradually add the sugar, beating until fluffy and ivory colored, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture just until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 1/4 hours. Transfer to a rack and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely. Serve immediately or store in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 1 day.
Cakes, Cupcakes & Cheesecakes Copyright © 1995 Sarah Tenaglia and Chuck Williams
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