Upside-Down Blood Orange Polenta Cake Recipe (dairy-free/gluten-free) - food to glow (2024)

FAQs

Why do gluten free cakes not rise? ›

You may not have used enough raising agents. I do recommend experimenting with double action baking powders. Otherwise try using 25 percent more chemical raising agents (baking soda or baking powder) if you're converting a recipe to gluten free.

Gluten-free flour blends don't have the same elasticity as flour containing gluten so often the cakes don't rise as much or will sink after rising. To combat the flat cake problem, I add ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the recipe even when using a self-raising gluten-free flour blend.

Some polenta can be quite coarse so to try and reduce the "gritty feel" you could try using fine ground cornmeal, though it will not be eliminated completely. If you live in the US then fine cornmeal should be fairly easy to find.

However, I find polenta (a type of cornmeal) can have a slightly gritty texture. I now use semolina instead – which is ground from hard durum wheat. It gives a lovely, fine texture to the cake. If you'd prefer to keep the cake wheat-free, use polenta or fine cornmeal instead.

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

We often reach for almond flour in baking recipes when we're looking for a light, fluffy, cake-y texture with neutral flavor, because almond flour has a milder flavor than almond meal, and tends to fluff up nicely when baked!

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Xanthan gum (along with other thickeners like guar gum and arrowroot) acts like a binder in gluten-free baked goods to maintain their structure. Without it, there's a good chance that your brownies or muffin will crumble and fall apart.

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

In conclusion, several gluten-free alternatives can be used as substitutes for regular polenta. Cornmeal, corn grits, millet grits, rice grits, cauliflower, and buckwheat are all good options.

What is the closest thing to polenta? ›

Packages labeled polenta mean that the grind of the corn is appropriate to make the polenta dish, but you can substitute regular medium or coarsely-ground cornmeal instead.

The difference between them comes down to the grain itself. Instant or quick-cooking polenta will be finely ground, resembling regular cornmeal, so that it can absorb the cooking liquid in just a matter of minutes. Traditional-style polenta grains will be medium- or coarse-ground for the best texture.

Polenta may be good for health as it contains fiber and protein. It is also rich in complex carbohydrates, low in fat, and more. Polenta is cooked cornmeal that can be eaten as a side or used in a variety of recipes, from bread to desserts.

NOTE: The cooked polenta should not be gritty and should have the consistency of cake batter or loose mashed potatoes. If it is too runny it will not set well, will be difficult to hold its shape during cutting and will likely fall apart when frying.

If your polenta cake tastes gritty, it is likely you used a coarse grind of cornmeal.

Eggs are natural leaveners that help boost the rise and volume of bread. Eggs also add moisture, flavor, and protein to gluten-free bread recipes. If you select a gluten-free bread recipe that includes eggs, you have a better chance that the resulting bread will have good color, more volume, and softer texture.

You have to have the correct balance of structure (gum or other binder) and liquid. To troubleshoot gluten free dough with too much binder, add more water or other liquid and allow it to rise again. If your dough doesn't rise enough, you can also add additional yeast the next time you make it.

If gluten-free cakes aren't falling apart, they often turn out heavy and unpleasantly dense. That's because gluten creates little pockets of air, so baked goods turn out springy and fluffy; gluten-free flours and grains are lacking this crucial element.