So many delectable flavours are bursting from this syrup-soaked, labneh-frosted, fig-topped cake. An attempt to simplify the name of this cake was in vain – with all those delicious elements in one glorious gluten-free cake, I just couldn’t narrow it down.
Polenta adds a beautiful texture to this tasty little number, while the addition of roasted pistachios and almond meal provide earthy undertones. Laden in pomegranate syrup, this cake is then infused with an array of aromatic fresh spices including cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, and then lathered in homemade rose labneh frosting. Fresh figs adorn the top of the cake in delicate sweet slices, while a sprinkle of pistachios and roasted almonds add a little extra nutty crunch.
Aside from remembering to start the labneh frosting in advance, this recipe comes together pretty easily and is rather forgiving, making it a firm favourite, especially among my gluten-free recipes. I’ve adapted this recipe from a cake by Anna Jones in Bake for Syria, where it is simply described as ‘a cake that does good’. And I really can’t put it any better than that.
Baking Notes
(1) This cake is best served within 24 hours of baking. Keep chilled to ensure the cake’s integrity doesn’t deteriorate quickly with the high moisture content, but allow to come to room temperature for serving.
(2) Remember to start this recipe in advance – allow 24-36 hours to strain the greek yoghurt in the fridge to make the delicious rosewater-infused homemade labneh. If you’re short on time, you can substitute with a combination of cream cheese and a couple of tablespoons of yoghurt. It won’t have quite the same flavour, but it comes pretty close.
Fig Pistachio & Polenta Cake + Pomegranate Syrup & Rose Labneh Frosting {gluten-free}
A gluten-free pistachio polenta cake, soaked in spiced pomegranate syrup, smothered in rose labneh frosting and adorned with fresh figs.
Ingredients
Pistachio Polenta Cake
- 60g unsalted butter, softened
- 125g brown sugar
- 60g Greek yoghurt
- 60g almond meal
- 60g shelled, roasted, unsalted pistachios
- 100g polenta
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp cardamom
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cloves
- 30ml (1/4 cup) pomegranate juice
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Pomegranate Syrup
- 125ml (1/2 cup) pomegranate juice
- 110g caster sugar
- 6 cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
Rose Labneh Frosting
- 440g Greek yoghurt
- ¼ tsp salt
- 100g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1–2 tsp rosewater
To Serve
- 4–5 fresh figs, washed and sliced into quarters
- Handful roasted slivered almonds and sliced pistachios
Instructions
Pistachio Polenta Cake
- Preheat oven to 175°C (155°C fan-forced) and grease or line one 15cm (6”) cake tin with greaseproof paper.
- Place pistachios on a small tray and roast for 5-7 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn. Allow to cool, then finely process to a pistachio meal.
- Beat butter and sugar in a free-standing mixer with paddle attachment until light and fluffy, then add yoghurt and beat further to combine.
- Place pistachio meal, almond meal, polenta, baking powder and ground spices in a bowl and mix together.
- Add dry ingredients to creamed butter, yoghurt and sugar in two batches, alternating with the pomegranate juice.
- Add eggs one by one, scraping the bowl down between each addition.
- Pour batter into prepared cake tin, smoothing the surface.
- Bake cake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Using a very thin skewer, place 12-15 holes in the cake, then spoon over with hot syrup. Allow to cool completely in cake tin.
Pomegranate Syrup
- Dissolve sugar in juice in a small saucepan over low-medium heat.
- Crack the cardamom pods and place them in the saucepan along with the cloves and cinnamon.
- Simmer for 10-15 minutes until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat, then spoon two-thirds of the hot syrup over the hot cake, reserving the remainder for drizzling prior to serving.
Rose Labneh Frosting
- Assemble a sieve over a large bowl, then place a cheesecloth or fine muslin over sieve.
- Place yoghurt on cheesecloth, sprinkle with salt then gently twist the cheesecloth around the yoghurt to form a ball.
- Allow yoghurt to sit for 24-36 hours in the fridge. This will strain the yoghurt, removing the excess water and turning it into labneh, with a consistency slightly softer than cream cheese.
- When ready to make labneh into frosting – whisk icing sugar, vanilla and rosewater to taste into the labneh.
To Serve
- This cake is best assembled just prior to serving, given the fresh figs, the syrup and high dairy content of the frosting. If needed, it can be assembled up to a couple of hours prior to serving, then refrigerated and removed 30 minutes or so prior to serving to allow the cake to come to room temperature.
- To serve, place cake on serving dish and drizzle with remaining syrup, then top with rose labneh frosting.
- Decorate with fresh fig slices and sprinkle with pistachios and almonds.
Enjoy!
Notes
Makes one 15cm (6”) cake and serves 6-8
You may also like:
Spiced Orange Pistachio Cake + Fresh Figs & Ginger Syrup (gf)
Fig & Blackberry Mini Pavlovas + Pomegranate Spiced Syrup
Lemon Rose Pistachio Cakes + Grapefruit Glaze (gf)
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