Easy Cornbread Cake Recipe

Name: Easy Cornbread Cake Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1.25 cups yellow cornmeal; 1/2 cup unsalted butter (slightly melted); 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp baking powder ((optional)); 1/4 tsp salt; 1 cup buttermilk; 2 eggs (, room temperature); 1/2 cup granulated sugar

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Love cornbread? I bet you will enjoy this Sweet Cornbread Cake recipe, too! It is fluffy, crumbly, with a buttery flavor. Top it with a little bit of butter and honey, and enjoy it for breakfast, as a side dish or dessert.

My mother shared this easy recipe with me, and I am sure you will love it too!

Cornbread cake topped with butter and honey.

Also, check How To Make Cornmeal and Blueberry Cornbread.

Cornbread Cake Recipe

I love this recipe because it can be made in so many ways; whether baked in the oven, made in a cast iron skillet, or even steamed. Also, its texture can vary from flats like patties or soft and fluffy like a cake.

These variations depend on what texture you prefer and how you want your cornbread to taste like.

My homemade cornbread cake is moist and not too crumbly. Using butter makes the cake rich, while using buttermilk makes it soft.

Why We Love This Recipe

Easy to make: This is an effortless cake to make and doesn't require any special equipment.
A good side: It goes so well with lots of main dishes.
Kids love this cake: My kids usually help me prepare this cake.
Simple recipe: The recipe is made with Pantry staples.

Cornbread cake is on a plate, and a cup of tea in the background.

Best Cornmeal To Use

There are different types of ground cornmeal, yellow cornmeal is preferred, but you may also use white or new Mexican blue cornmeal.

Cornmeal grinds also vary from fine, medium or coarse; you can use any kind you want; however, the outcome will only differ in the texture of the cornbread. The finer cornmeal grinds you use, the less crumbly it will be.

Ingredients

Yellow cornmeal: I recommend using a good-quality cornmeal. This recipe uses yellow cornmeal as it gives the bread a beautiful golden-brown colour. I used medium-grind cornmeal; however, you can use coarse cornmeal if you like the gritty texture.
Butter: This recipe uses unsalted butter that is slightly melted. This ingredient is a must, as it gives a moist and rich flavour to the bread.
All-purpose flour: The flour allows the bread to rise and will give a spongey consistency to the bread.
Baking soda: It helps the dough rise and expand.
Baking powder: Baking powder is optional, but it also helps the dough rise.
Salt: Use just a pinch to bring all the flavours together.
Buttermilk: It adds a rich flavour to this recipe without adding extra fat.
Eggs: It binds all the ingredients together and helps the bread rise. Use the eggs at room temperature.
Granulated sugar: It balances out the corn and bread flavour with its sweetness. You can use brown sugar instead.
Top your sweet cake with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

“See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.”

Variations & Substitutions

You may use natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup instead of granulated sugar.
A great substitute for buttermilk is Greek yoghurt, low-fat yoghurt or even milk.
Adding fun toppings can make this dish more delicious. Toppings like honey, jelly or jam, and cheese would taste divine.
You may add some add-ins like roasted corn, cheddar cheese, blueberries, green chile corn, and cheesy garlic to make it extra delicious and rich.
You may use cooking oil instead of melted butter. To make this dairy-free, you may use dairy-free butter or vegan butter.
You may add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Add some chopped nuts to the batter, such as pecans or walnuts.

How To Make Sweet Cornbread Cake?

Before starting, preheat the oven to 180C / 356F and line a 9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

One (Combining the wet ingredients): In a large mixing bowl, whisk sugar and butter. Then add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add buttermilk, mix again.

Two (Adding the dry ingredients): Add flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to the mixture. Mix well. Pour the mixture in the baking dish.

Three: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool then cut and serve!

Cornbread cake cut into slices on top of each others.

Expert Tips And Tricks

You can make muffins with this recipe by greasing a 12 cup muffin tin with butter, pouring in the batter, and baking for 25-30 minutes.
You can freeze it by wrapping it in plastic wrap. It will keep for one to two months.
Make sure to bake until the top, and the edges are golden brown.
Avoid over stirring the wet and dry ingredients even if there are few lumps.
You may mix a spoonful of honey or grated orange peel into the butter to coat on the warm bread.
Remember to grease the pan before baking.
Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for at least five minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool down fully.
Measure the flour correctly, as adding too much would ruin the recipe.

Serving Ideas

Serve it with a cup of Chocolate Bubble Tea or Caramel Latte or pair it with Honeycomb Ice Cream or Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream.

You may also serve it as a side dish for Mushroom Fried Rice or Roasted Vegetable Pizza.

Close shot to a cornbread cake slice drizzled with honey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the topping options for cornbread cake?

When we talk about cornbread toppings, butter and honey will be the winners. However, there are many more topping options such as cream cheese, jam or Nutella.

I don't have buttermilk can I substitute it?

Buttermilk is very important in this recipe to ensure that the cornbread will not turn out dry and flavourless. However, if you don't have buttermilk, you can add one tablespoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk and use it instead of buttermilk.

What kind of baking dish should I use to make cornbread?

You may use a glass pie dish or any metal baking dish. You can also use a cast-iron skillet. If you're using a cast-iron skillet, remember to warm up the skillet while the oven is preheating. Ceramic, glass or cast-iron or any metal baking dish works best.

Can I make muffins with this recipe?

Yes, you can use the batter to pour them in a muffin tin and bake at the same temperature for 16-18 minutes or until they are golden brown.

Why does my cornbread turn crumbly?

Cornbread has a crumbly texture but shouldn’t fall out into a crumbly mess when you cut it. If that happens, the amount of flour added may be too much; try using less flour to balance it out. Or, you may be using too much cornmeal or butter. Use the right amount of flour, cornmeal and butter to achieve the best consistency.