Orange Cardamom Polenta Cake with Whipped Mascarpone

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A moist polenta cake infused with bright orange zest and warm cardamom, complemented by a smooth whipped mascarpone topping. This Italian-inspired Mother’s Day recipe (vegetarian), ready in about 55 minutes, layers fine cornmeal (polenta), all-purpose flour, baking powder into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 370 calories and feeds 8, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 40 min Serves 8 Italian cuisine 370 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
  2. Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup fine cornmeal, 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp ground cardamom.
  3. Step 3: In a large bowl, beat 3 large eggs with 3/4 cup granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  4. Step 4: Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, 1/2 cup whole milk, 2 tbsp fresh orange zest, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
  5. Step 5: Fold the dry ingredients gently into the wet mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
  6. Step 6: Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely.
  7. Step 7: Meanwhile, whip together 1 cup mascarpone, 1/4 cup heavy cream, and 2 tbsp powdered sugar until smooth and slightly fluffy.
  8. Step 8: Serve slices of the polenta cake topped with a dollop of the whipped mascarpone cream.

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