This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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!
Email Yourself This Recipe!
Get the recipe link sent to your inbox! PLUS, we’ll send you fresh recipes weekly!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

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!

4.60 from 5 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
Email Yourself This Recipe!
Get the recipe link sent to your inbox! PLUS, we’ll send you fresh recipes weekly!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

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.

There is an affiliate link within this post.

You May Also Like...

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




42 Comments

  1. Nancy says:

    This cake is so delicious!

  2. Dolores says:

    Is there a way to print this out so I can take it to the kitchen & make this cake?
    Also, I am waiting for the next season GOT-binge watched them all last year-it has been agony waiting now like “normal” folks for the next season to begin!

    1. Julie says:

      Yes, there is! Under the photo in the recipe card, there is a big purple PRINT button! Click on that and it should take you to a printer friendly page.

    2. Marni says:

      Seriously I’ve been waiting since last season ended…ugh I wanted to cry when they said it wasn’t coming back until July 16th instead of April…and now I hear season 8 will be the last :'( …..ok now I’m off to make this scrumptious cake!

  3. Shelley says:

    I came across this recipe on Pinterest when I had a craving for baking something delicious. I got too excited about it and didn’t check to make sure I had all the ingredients. Ended up making this exactly to the recipe except used lime instead of lemon (oops. I had no lemons) and coconut extract instead of almond (I had no almond). End result was amazing! I can’t wait to try it again with lemon.

  4. John Gibson says:

    Looks Extremely delicious…. want to have a slice of it right now.

  5. Amelie Moore says:

    Wow, really, I canโ€™t get over that delicious taste! So simple and yet โ€“ sooo great. Thank you for this recipe โ€“ itโ€™s a real keeper

  6. Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says:

    This is so pretty! I wish I could have a slice right now!

  7. Kevin @ Closet Cooking says:

    What an amazing spring treat! Love the lemon!

  8. Cat @ Reader/Eater says:

    I feel like Tyrion is a lemon dessert sort of fella.

    He’s the only Lannister that doesn’t use the tears of his enemies as sprinkles.

    1. Julie says:

      Haha!

  9. del davies says:

    Here in South Africa, the only “cornmeal” we can buy is cornflour which is white not yellow. Would this be suitable ?

    1. Julie says:

      Typically the corn flour is ground much finer than cornmeal so while I want to say yes, you can use it in place of cornmeal, please do keep in mind that texturally, the cake might turn out a bit different.

  10. Gaby Dalkin says:

    Bring on all things lemon! This cake is going on my Mother’s Day list