Description
This easy cornmeal pound cake recipe features a golden crumb and tender texture, topped with a dreamy vanilla glaze. It’s a heartwarming, family-friendly dessert perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- 1 cup fine cornmeal (160g)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt (reduce to 0.25 tsp if using salted butter)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226g), 2 sticks, softened
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar (300g)
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 0.5 cup milk (whole or 2%) (120ml), at room temperature (or unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (for cake)
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar (180g), sifted
- 2–3 Tbsp milk or cream (30-45ml) (for glaze, or plant-based milk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for glaze)
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional, for flavor boost)
- 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg or cardamom (optional, for flavor boost)
- 0.5 tsp almond extract (optional, for flavor boost)
Instructions
- Prep Oven & Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Liberally grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this aside.
- Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy (2-3 minutes), turning pale.
- Add Eggs & Vanilla: Beat in the large eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the 2 tsp vanilla extract until fragrant.
- Combine Wet & Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
- Bake Cake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Cool Cake: Let the cornmeal pound cake cool in its pan for 10-15 minutes, allowing it to firm up, before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Glaze: While the cake cools, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2-3 Tbsp milk, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a small bowl until the glaze is smooth and pourable. Add more milk, a tiny bit at a time, for a thinner consistency if desired.
- Glaze & Serve: Once the cornmeal pound cake is completely cool to the touch, drizzle the vanilla glaze evenly over the top.
Notes
The article suggests freezing half of a double batch for later. For dietary flexibility, use unsweetened almond milk for a dairy-free option in the cake and plant-based milk for the glaze. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt to 0.25 tsp. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a tough cake.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (100 g)
- Calories: 380 calories
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
Keywords: easy dessert, cornmeal, pound cake, vanilla glaze, baking, family-friendly, sweet treat, moist cake