Sweet Cherry Corn Cake
Let’s talk about CORN! A lot of y’all will hear this yellow hued vegetables name and think savory-crunchy- stuck in your teeth-on a cob- slathered with butter kind of vibes. But corn CAN BE SWEET! My first experience with a corn like dessert was in my grasndfathers hometown of Rincon, Puerto Rico. Near the towns square (which is one of the most vibrant spaces I’ve ever been in) lives a small ice cream shop named Tip Top where they crafted the most luscious, creamy, D E C A D E N T corn ice cream flavor. Each scoop was always dusted with cinnamon, creating the perfect balance between the soft, buttery corn flavor with the woody, sweet flavor of cinnamon.
Last month, I was left with a huge bag of corn flour (which is a finer cnsistency of corn meal) from a photoshoot I had assisted. I knew I had to create the PERFECT summeresque cake worth turning your oven on for. Cherries, the favorite child of the summer solstice, brings a sweet and sour balance to the sweet, spiced, and moist bite of the corn cake base. A fine dusting of powdered sugar cuts the mouth-puckering bite of some cherries to create the perfect balance of le flavors of summer with every forkfull.
Sweet Cherry Corn Cake
Serves: 8-10
Time: 40-45 minutes (+ cool time)
INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I prefer the brand from Caputo’s)
1/2 cup cornflour (not corn meal)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
2/3 cup oat milk (or milk of choice
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
2 large flax eggs (or large eggs)
1 1/2 cups red cherries, pitted and halved
Powdered sugar, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place a rack in the MIDDLE of the oven. Grease a 9-inch cake pan and line with parchment paper.
Make your flax egg by whisking together 2 tablespoons of flax meal with 6 tablespoons of warm water. Let sit for about 10 minutes (we’re looking for a runny egg consistency).
If using whole cherries, prepare your cherries by removing the pits and halving them.
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornflour, cinnamon, cardamom, kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda until combined. Set aside
In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, oat milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Once incorporated, add the sugar and flax eggs. Whisk until combined and slightly thickened.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until JUST combined. Do your best not to overmix the batter, as this will activate the gluten and result in a tougher cake.
Pour about half of the batter into the greased cake pan. Add about 1 cup of the cherries halves evenly and cover with the remaining half of the batter. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of halved cherries on op and press slightly into the batter so that a portion of each cherry is submerged.
Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes on the middle rack of the oven, or until a clean toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
Let cool in the pan and remove carefully by using an offset spatula and separating the corners of the cake from the pan.
Garnish the cake with powdered sugar by sifting about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
Serve with a glass of milk, a cup of iced coffee, or a sip of iced tea.
Dive in!
