Whether you’re trying to replicate a long-lost family recipe or you just want to put a spin on traditional cornbread, making it with more of a cake like texture can be a great way to go.
In this post, let’s take a look at what it takes to put a spin on your classic recipe.
Use the Right Recipe
There are recipes out there that will allow you to make cornbread that is similar to cake. This will ensure that it tastes amazing and has a more cake-like appearance.
Of course, it’s going to be a good bit different than just making a normal cake. It won’t taste completely the same, but it’ll have some of the qualities that you attribute to cake.
When you do things right, the cornbread should turn out a little bit sweeter than usual. Also, it’ll be fluffy and very moist.
You’ll still have the cornbread texture that you know and love. It’ll simply be combined with the qualities of a cake.
For many, this type of cornbread is much better than standard cornbread. Whether you’ll enjoy this style more or less than typical cornbread depends on your tastes.
Gather the Right Ingredients
Gathering the right ingredients is important when you’re trying to get the cornbread to turn out just right. You need to use specific ingredients, or you won’t be able to make it turn out similar to a cake.
You’ll need cornmeal for this recipe as usual. You’re also going to use all-purpose flour and granulated sugar.
Some people are against using sugar in cornbread, but this is an important part of making cornbread more cake-like. You’ll also need baking powder, salt, vegetable oil, unsalted butter, eggs, milk, and a bit of honey.
There isn’t a special technique that is required to make cornbread cake. You just have to use the ingredients properly.
Here are the ingredient amounts that you’ll need for this recipe:
- 1 cup of cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons of baking powder
- 1 and 1/3 cups of granulated sugar
- 3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1/3 cup of unsalted butter (melted)
- 2/3 cups of vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons of honey
- 2 and ½ cups of milk
- 4 eggs (beaten)
How to Make Cornbread Cake
Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Get a baking pan and grease it up using cooking spray.
Ideally, you should use cooking spray that has no flavor. Butter flavored cooking spray should be okay to use if that’s all you have.
Get a large mixing bowl and mix your dry ingredients. You’ll be mixing the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in the mixing bowl.
In another mixing bowl, you’re going to mix vegetable oil, milk, honey, melted butter, and beaten eggs. Once you’re finished, it’s time to combine the two mixtures.
Mix the contents of the two bowls together without going overboard. It’s important to avoid mixing too much since that can negatively impact the texture of the cornbread cake.
Stir the mixture until everything is just combined. Once finished, pour the mixture into the baking pan that you greased earlier.
Most experts recommended making cornbread cake in a 9×13 baking pan. You can use whatever your favorite baking pan is if you want to, though.
It should take forty-five minutes for the cornbread cake to bake. At the end of the process, the top of the cornbread should be beginning to brown.
Cracks may start to form on top of the cornbread. This is perfectly normal.
What if You Mix the Batter Too Much?
Mixing the batter too much will be problematic. It’s one reason why you might want to mix things by hand instead of using an electric hand mixer.
When you mix the batter more than you’re supposed to, it causes the gluten in the flour to activate. This changes the consistency of the cornbread and makes it much dryer overall.
You’ll be left with cornbread that is dry and crumbly. The consistency will be a bit off and you won’t be able to enjoy it nearly as much as you want to.
This is a good reason to be cautious while mixing the batter. Do your best to mix things up until everything is just combined.
If there are a few noticeable lumps in the batter, that’s going to be fine. It’s better for there to be lumps than it is to mix the batter more than you’re supposed to.
What if the Cornbread Turns Out Spongy?
Sometimes you might make a mistake somewhere along the way. If your cornbread cake turned out spongy, it’s a sign that you baked it for too long.
You’re supposed to bake this cornbread cake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. If you bake it for several minutes too long, this will impact the texture.
You’ll be left with a far spongier cake than usual. This occurs when moisture leaves the cake and causes air pockets to form.
Avoid this by setting a timer and only baking it for as long as you’re meant to. You can avoid disaster and get it to turn out right every single time.
Final Thoughts
You know how to make cornbread that is satisfying and cake-like now. Simply make the cornbread as described above and everything will turn out fantastically well.
This type of cornbread is likely to be a hit with the whole family. It’s a bit sweet, and it’s very moist.
You can enjoy this with many types of meals. It’s so tasty that you might even want to eat some just for fun whether it’s time for dinner or not.
Remember that cornbread does contain many carbohydrates. Try to eat it in moderation for the sake of your health.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.