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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.
I’ve got a lemon cornmeal cake to share with you guys today and a brand new video below on how to make 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.
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.
Honestly, it was hard to just eat one slice! Be sure to watch me make it below!
Lemon Cornmeal Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ 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
Nutrition
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What a pretty Spring cake! Perfect for a ladies luncheon, brunch or baby shower. Pinned
Love anything lemon. Can you use regular extra virgin olive oil or should it be light?
You could use extra virgin olive oil but you just might taste the olive oil more in the cake than when you use a light olive oil. Hope that helps!
I love all things lemon!
So I still haven’t watched game of thrones. I guess I need to get on that! As for this cake – I love cornmeal in cake, so naturally I need to try this!
I can’t even handle it that GOT is back on air- although it really messes up my Sunday night sleep because I think about it all night. I’m completely obsessed. Cake is gorgeous by the way.
Wow I’ve never heard of a cornmeal cake before. They sound (and most of all: LOOK) delicious though. I love lemon in cakes :D
LOVE cornmeal in baking. I’ll make this beauty for Mother’s Day!
So ehm…. THE RED WOMAN!
CENTURIES OLD!!!
This cake!!! Looks fabulous Julie!!
Oh man I am a sucker for lemon desserts! And literally JUST started watching Game of Thrones this weekend! Oh boy do we have a long ways to go :-)
Oh man, prepared to binge watch them! Honestly, it’s the best way to go because you don’t have to wait around every week for episodes to come on :) no cliffhangers! Haha, just press play