This Blueberry Cornmeal Cake Tastes Like Summer time in Each Chunk

There are dessert recipes you make as soon as and neglect… after which there are people who instantly develop into a part of your rotation—that you end up occupied with weeks later, already planning the subsequent event to make them. Since I’ve made this blueberry cornmeal cake 3 times previously month, you’ll be able to most likely guess which class this falls underneath.

I first made this cake on a Saturday afternoon, with a bowl of recent blueberries, about two hours earlier than dinner. It was that laid-back baking session that all the time produces the most effective outcomes—I prefer to assume the love and care that goes into baking a dessert is obvious within the closing product. I pulled it out of the oven proper as my household was wandering into the kitchen searching for a snack, drizzled on the glaze, and we sampled various pre-dinner slices as a result of it was simply that good.

There are such a lot of issues to like about this cake: the golden high, jewel-toned blueberries peeking by way of, the almond crumble giving it slightly drama—it reads as banquet dessert, with out hours of effort. (Precisely what summer season baking needs to be.)

Let’s Discuss In regards to the Cornmeal

In case you haven’t tasted it, “cornmeal cake” may not sound as scrumptious as it’s. However belief me—it’s what makes this cake so good. Superb cornmeal provides the crumb a satisfying density and refined nuttiness that plain flour simply can’t replicate. It’s not fairly a polenta cake, not fairly a pound cake—it lands someplace in between, with a texture that feels nearly nourishing in the way in which that the most effective rustic baking does. The type of factor that’s made for a 3 pm espresso break.

And once I settled on utilizing blueberries on this cake, I knew that lemon would make an look, too. It’s a kind of taste pairings that’s well-known for a purpose: candy, tart, fully summer season. The lemon is woven by way of three totally different parts right here: zested into the cake batter, tossed with the blueberries, and squeezed into the glaze. Every layer does one thing barely totally different to make the entire cake style vibrant and vivid.

The Almond Crumble Is Non-Negotiable

You may technically skip the crumble, however I strongly advise in opposition to it. These sliced almonds blended with chilly butter, flour, and slightly sugar bake into this golden, crunchy topping, making each chew fascinating (and holding the cake from feeling too candy).

A couple of issues I’ve discovered from making this a number of instances: refrigerate the crumble whilst you make the batter. Chilly butter is what provides you the best texture, so that you don’t need it sitting on the counter getting heat. You additionally wish to keep away from overmixing the batter when you add the dry substances. I set my stand mixer to absolutely the lowest pace for about 30 seconds to softly mix, however keep away from making the cornmeal base too dense.

A Few Notes Earlier than Baking

This cake actually does profit from the total cooling time. Sure, the temptation is actual, however give it 20-Half-hour within the pan earlier than releasing it from the springform, and wait till it’s correctly cooled earlier than including the glaze. If the cake is even barely heat, the glaze will run straight off and pool on the plate as a substitute of setting in these lovely drizzles.

If you wish to make this gluten-free, swap the all-purpose flour one-to-one on your favourite GF mix—the cornmeal does the structural work to maintain this cake holding up fantastically.

***

In case you want me, I’ll be making this blueberry cornmeal cake all summer season. It’s even higher the subsequent day if there’s any left. In my expertise, there often isn’t.

Print