Description
A three-layer Cornbread Cake layered with a whipped, honey-forward buttercream — think buttery, slightly grainy corn crumb meets a silky, not-too-sweet frosting. It’s rich, moist, and packed with corn flavor (thanks to masa and cornmeal), finished with a honey drizzle and optional polenta crunch. Perfect for fans of unique, homey cakes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the cake batter
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) salted butter, softened
- 2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup pure raw honey (no crystals)
- ¾ cup neutral oil (light olive oil or another mild oil)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk (or homemade hot-water “cheater” version with 1 Tbsp vinegar + milk)
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup masa harina (Maseca or equivalent), spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1½ cups yellow cornmeal
For the whipped honey buttercream
- 2 cups (16 oz) European-style butter (Kerrygold recommended), softened
- ¾ cup pure raw honey (not crystallized)
- 4½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp kosher or sea salt
To finish (optional)
- Polenta for sprinkling
- Extra honey to drizzle
- Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Trace three 9-inch rounds on parchment, cut them out, and line the bottoms of the pans. Spray the pans and the parchment lightly with nonstick spray and grease the sides well.
- Make the butter-honey base: In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice so everything combines evenly. Add the honey and beat until incorporated, then stream in the oil and mix briefly. Set this mixture aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the buttermilk and sour cream and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Sift the dry ingredients: Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and add the all-purpose flour and masa harina through the strainer, along with the baking powder and salt. Stir so the dry mix falls through evenly. Remove the strainer, then stir in the cornmeal until evenly combined.
- Bring the batter together: Alternate adding the wet egg mixture and the dry mix to the butter-honey base, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed and stop as soon as everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides and the bottom so no pockets of dry flour remain. Don’t overbeat — you want a tender crumb, not gluten development.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans (a kitchen scale helps). Bake at 325°F for about 28–33 minutes, rotating pans once during the bake for even color. Cakes are done when the edges are set and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then release and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. If you want to speed cooling, place them in the freezer for about 20 minutes.
- Make the whipped honey buttercream: Beat the softened European butter until very smooth. Pour in the honey and beat until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and the cornstarch and salt; stir these together a bit to combine, then beat them into the butter. Continue adding the remaining powdered sugar in increments, beating well after each addition, until the frosting is thick and whipped (about 2–3 minutes). If the honey you used is thin, you may need slightly more powdered sugar or an extra pinch of cornstarch to reach spreading consistency. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed.
- Assemble: Place one cake layer on your serving plate and spread roughly 1 to 1½ cups frosting over it. Stack the second layer and repeat, then add the top layer. Use the remaining buttercream to crumb-coat, chill briefly, then finish with a final smooth coat. Let some frosting drip slightly down the sides for a rustic look, or smooth the sides for a cleaner finish.
- Finish and serve: Optionally sprinkle a little polenta along the base or edges for a textural contrast and drizzle extra honey over the top before slicing. Serve with vanilla ice cream or a small dollop of whipped cream if desired.
Notes
- Notes & tips
- Raw honey: If yours has started to crystallize, gently warm it until smooth before using.
- Oil keeps the cake moist; don’t omit it. It’s the reason this cake stays tender for days.
- Use European butter for the frosting if you want a richer, more buttery flavor — but regular butter also works.
- Weigh the batter for consistent layer heights; it makes assembly easier.
- To freeze: flash-freeze layers on a tray for 20–30 minutes, then wrap tightly in plastic and freeze up to 2–3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then bring to room temp before serving.
- Cornstarch in the frosting thickens without extra sweetness and helps the butter flavor shine through. Trust it.
- Shortcut idea
- Want a quick riff? Use a boxed cornbread or corn muffin mix as a base and adapt the wet ingredients to approximate this batter — the texture will differ, but you’ll get a fun “Cornbread Cake Recipe Jiffy” version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 574kcal
- Sugar: 59g
- Fat: 31g
- Carbohydrates: 74g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 94mg