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Lemon screams spring time to me and brightens up any day! I LOVE baking with lemon because it just perfumes the entire kitchen.

This lemon cornmeal cake is the ultimate way to ring in spring! It's so light and cornmeal gives this cake a subtle but distinct texture! You will love the glaze on top too. If you love all things lemon, this cake has your name on it!
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I’ve got a lemon cornmeal cake to share with you guys today and a brand new video below on how to make it!

This lemon cornmeal cake is the ultimate way to ring in spring! It's so light and cornmeal gives this cake a subtle but distinct texture! You will love the glaze on top too. If you love all things lemon, this cake has your name on it!

Why I love this lemon cornmeal cake so much!

Oh my gosh. Lemon desserts and spring is just the perfect equation. It literally makes my soul happy when I bake lemon desserts in the springtime. It’s just a sign that warm weather is here :)

Putting cornmeal in cakes is a brilliant idea that I wish were more common.

It gives it such a nice texture but not like cornbread. It’s very subtle but a great balance.

This lemon cornmeal cake is the ultimate way to ring in spring! It's so light and cornmeal gives this cake a subtle but distinct texture! You will love the glaze on top too. If you love all things lemon, this cake has your name on it!

My lemon cornmeal cake with lemon glaze is the ultimate lemon dessert. The cake is SO moist and fluffy. We devoured this cake and I think you will too!

It’s deceivingly light and the lemon scent just makes you feel so clean and bright. It puts a smile to my face whenever I bake with lemon.

And oh my gosh, the sweet and tangy glaze on top is PERFECTION.

This lemon cornmeal cake is the ultimate way to ring in spring! It's so light and cornmeal gives this cake a subtle but distinct texture! You will love the glaze on top too. If you love all things lemon, this cake has your name on it!

Honestly, it was hard to just eat one slice! Be sure to watch me make it below!

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4.50 from 4 votes

Lemon Cornmeal Cake

This lemon cornmeal cake is the ultimate way to ring in spring! It’s so light and cornmeal gives this cake a subtle but distinct texture! You will love the glaze on top too. If you love all things lemon, this cake has your name on it!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients 

For the cake

  • 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
  • cup (53 g) yellow cornmeal
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup (118 ml) citrus olive oil or any light olive oil

For the glaze

  • 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line the bottom of a 9 inch round pan with parchment paper (I traced it and then cut it to fit the bottom of the pan perfectly) then lightly grease the rest of the cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla extract, almond extract, and olive oil.
  • Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients then pour the liquid in. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Definitely try to FOLD it instead of STIRRING it. It yields a way lighter cake and won’t be as dense. Fold until everything is incorporated and no dry ingredients and clumps can be seen.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake on the middle rack in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Once you have removed the cake from the oven, run a sharp knife around the edges then carefully (with oven mitts on) place a wire cooling rack on the cake in the pan. Holding the cake pan and wire rack, invert the cake onto the wire rack. Place another wire rack on top of the cake then invert again so the cake is now upright. Let cool completely.
  • While the cake cools, make the glaze in a small bowl. Whisk together all the ingredients and set aside. If you prefer a thinner glaze, add more lemon juice or water.
  • Once cake has cooled, pour the glaze on the top of the cake and serve!

Video

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 420kcal, Carbohydrates: 65g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sugar: 37g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.

The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.

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41 Comments

  1. I tried this recipe twice in one week and it is great!! The cake is moist, crumbly, and light and yet it is not loaded with butter or eggs.
    I used a little more cornmeal and a little less AP flour and less oil and sugar the second time for my cup cakes and it turned out perfect and delicious for us. I love it with lemon glaze or chocolate icing as well.
    This is the best cornmeal lemon cake that I have found so far. Just like the lemon cake that I tasted in Italy before and had always wished to be able to make it one day.
    Thank you for sharing.

  2. This made way too much batter for my 9 inch cake pan- which I think is a standard size. I would suggest a very deep one or a larger one.

  3. So good and easy! just made it tonight. Julie, I think your video you added lemon juice in the batter but in your recipe, it didn’t mention to add in batter but in the glaze. I followed your recipe instead of the video.

  4. There’s no lemon juice in the printed version, but you’re using lemon juice in the video. How much?

  5. Very easy to prepare and delicious. I like the tender texture with just a little grainy bite from the corn meal.

    1. Yes, probably. However, I don’t have very many tips on this front because I don’t know how to bake or cook gluten-free specifically!

  6. Just made this cake. I didn’t have citrus olive oil. I used plain virgin olive oil. I also put in some poppy seeds in the cake batter and in the glaze. I can see many different possibilities. Good recipe. Thank you.