I have always been a little bit in love with no-frill loaf cakes since they’re perfect for everyday occasions and you can leave your piping bags packed away. They may be simple and easy to make, but that doesn’t mean they’re boring. To the contrary, they often provide a great opportunity to try out some unique flavor combos without the work that goes into a layer cake. Take this Blood Orange Polenta Cake, for instance. It combines polenta’s coarser texture and sweet corn flavor with bright, citrusy blood orange.

One great thing about loaf cakes is that they usually come together in one bowl and this one is no exception. It’s a thick batter, made up of butter, sugar, eggs, regular flour, polenta, and blood orange zest. The flour keeps the polenta in balance, so it’s still a fairly light crumb, but one with a beautiful texture.

The best part just may be the glaze that you pour over the cake when it comes out of the oven. It’s not a thick glaze, rather, it’s the type that soaks into the cake and flavors every bite with a little something extra.

In this case, it’s a unique mixture of blood orange juice, lemon juice, nutmeg, and powdered sugar and it’s one you absolutely don’t want to miss.