When you are in the mood for a lemony dessert that is out of this world, this is the recipe for you! This delicious and slightly crumbly lemon cake is sweet and tart and topped with a delicious lemon glaze.
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Why you will love this lemon cornmeal cake
I think you are going to love just how different this lemon cake is from other cakes. It kind of resembles a sweeter cornbread, but also a dessert at the same time.
It will satisfy your sweet tooth (and your sour tooth). It goes perfectly with some fresh fruit and a hot cup of coffee. If you want a non-chocolate homemade dessert, you are going to fall in love with this one!
Ingredients
I’ve been asked before why I mix cornmeal with all-purpose flour in my recipes that call for cornmeal. Typically, when making bread with cornmeal, I use a 1:1 ratio of cornmeal to flour, sometimes even a 1:2 ratio by adding more flour than cornmeal. I never use 100% cornmeal because the cake or the bread would fall apart and be extremely dry.
You really don’t want to use all cornmeal when making cornmeal cake especially, otherwise you will never get that “cakey” texture and you will never be able to swallow all that cornmeal without drinking half a gallon of milk.
Having said all that, I will reiterate that you do want to mix your cornmeal with all-purpose flour if you plan on making this lemon cornmeal cake recipe. You can adjust the amount to your liking. If you want your lemon cornmeal cake to be less like a cornbread, then I suggest adding 1 ½ cups flour and ½ cup cornmeal. The way I have it in the recipe, it turns out with a rustic cornbread flavor and texture.
When buying cornmeal, you will note that there is an option for white cornmeal or yellow cornmeal. I always buy yellow cornmeal, however you can use either.
I also advise you to use real salted butter. Butter substitutes just don’t cut it when it comes to cake recipes, especially this recipe for lemon cornmeal cake. In my opinion, butter substitutes and processed vegetable oils are far inferior in taste and texture. I don’t ever consider using a butter substitute.
When it comes to lemon juice in recipes, I prefer to use fresh squeezed juice from whole lemons. It’s fine to use “real lemon juice” in a bottle, but the taste of fresh squeezed juice is far superior and you will miss out on the flavor of the lemon zest which elevates the citrus flavor in this lemon cornmeal cake.
These are the ingredients for lemon cornmeal cake:
- All-purpose flour
- Cornmeal
- Butter (salted)
- Granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Whole milk
- Fresh lemons (juice and zest)
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
How to make lemon cornmeal cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter the sides of a 10” bundt cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and give it a quick stir.
Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and whisk together with the milk, the juice and zest of one lemon and the vanilla extract.
Melt the butter and add it to the dry ingredients along with the egg and milk mixture. With a wooden spoon or spatula, mix the ingredients together until combined and it is mostly lump-free.
Pour the lemon cornmeal cake batter into the prepared pan and place it in the preheated oven.
Bake it for about 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges of the cake begin to turn golden brown.
While the cake is baking, take the juice of one lemon (1-2 tablespoons) and whisk it with the powdered sugar to make the lemon glaze. You may have to add a little more lemon juice depending on how thick your glaze is. You want the glaze to be thick enough to stir, but it should still be very stiff and hard to stir.
Remove the cake from the oven and loosen the edges with a butter knife. Let it sit for 5 minutes then carefully remove it from the pan and invert it on a cooling rack with wax paper or a baking sheet below it (to catch the glaze that falls for easier clean up).
Immediately spoon the prepared glaze over the top of the hot lemon cake. Some of it will run off the edges, and that will just add to the rustic vibe of this cake. Let the glaze coat the whole cake, running down into the middle of the bundt cake and around the outside. It should look like a huge, glazed donut when it is all said and done.
Let the cake cool completely before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Fresh berries are a delightful accompaniment to this glazed lemon cornmeal cake. Anything from fresh cut strawberries to blueberry sauce, or even fresh picked red or black raspberries.
Serve this cake at room temperature.
Storage
Lemon cornmeal cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days if it is wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and stored in an airtight container.
This cake also freezes well when sealed tightly with plastic wrap and in a container for up to 3 months.
Equipment
- 10” bundt cake pan
FAQ’s
Does lemon cake need to be refrigerated?
This lemon cake does not need to be refrigerated since it does not have a milk-based frosting. Store it at room temperature for up to 3 days when it is wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and in an airtight container.
Can I use store bought lemon juice when making lemon cake?
Store-bought real lemon juice is acceptable when making lemon cake. Use 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice per lemon in the recipe.
📖 Recipe
Easy Lemon Cornmeal Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour *
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup butter melted
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 lemons separated
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch bundt cake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl add the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk it together.
- Whisk the eggs and add them to the dry ingredients along with the milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, and the juice and zest of one lemon.
- Mix the ingredients together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Some lumps may remain.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake it in the oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry and the edges are beginning to brown.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the lemon glaze by adding the juice of one lemon to 1 ¾ cups of powder sugar and whisking it together. If it doesn’t come together and it’s still dry, add more lemon juice ½ teaspoon at a time. It should still be quite thick and hard to stir.
- Remove the cake from the oven and loosen it from the sides of the pan with a butter knife. Let it cool for 5 minutes then take it out of the pan, inverting it onto a cooling rack. Place a sheet pan or wax paper underneath the wire rack for easy cleanup after glazing it.
- Immediately after placing the cake on the cooling rack, while it is still hot, glaze the cake with the lemon glaze. Spread the glaze all over the top and all the way to the edges of the cake and let some of it drip down the sides.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
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