There are days whenever you simply want cake however baking one can typically really feel daunting. Enter a single-layer affair like this snacking cake that’s definitely worth the little bit of effort concerned. With a touch of sweetness from cornmeal, you may simply add in different favourite flavors — like lemon or orange zest, cardamom or vanilla. Corn flour, a finely floor cornmeal and buttermilk make for a light-weight and tender cake. Observe, in a pinch, if you happen to don’t have buttermilk, make a fast model by including one tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to a one-cup measuring cup. Add milk to fill one cup; stir and let sit 5 minutes to barely curdle and thicken.

As to the flours, Bob’s Purple Mill makes a wonderful corn flour. Should you can’t discover Bob’s, go for a “wonderful grind” cornmeal or a “medium grind,” however word that “coarse grind” will lead to a grittier, denser confection, extra like cornbread than cake. For a gluten-free choice, substitute all-purpose flour with 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, however word that the feel may be a bit denser. To make forward, let cake cool fully earlier than wrapping tightly and depart on the kitchen counter till able to frost or as much as two days. You may as well bake and frost the cake a day or two forward, cowl and chill in fridge, however be sure to deliver to room temp earlier than serving. Get pleasure from heat out of the oven, with a drizzle of honey or jam. Or let cool earlier than spreading with vanilla cream cheese frosting and garnish with dried flowers or recent fruit or grated lemon zest.

Cornmeal snacking cake with cream cheese frosting

Makes 12-14 servings

For the cake:

2 cups/256 grams all-purpose flour or 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour

Scant 1 1/2 cups/280 grams granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups/155 grams entire grain corn flour — Bob’s Purple Mill — or wonderful grind cornmeal, or 200 grams medium-grind however NOT coarse

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon wonderful salt

2 cups effectively shaken buttermilk

Scant 1 cup (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or extra-virgin olive oil

3 giant eggs

2 giant egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Serve with recent raspberries or blueberries (elective)

Vanilla cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 levels. Grease a single layer 9- by 13- by 2-inch metallic cake pan with softened butter and frivolously mud with flour, tapping out any extra, or spray with baking spray and line with parchment (leaving a 1-inch overhang on all sides); spray parchment; or grease two 9-inch spherical cake pans, line with parchment circles and grease parchment.

Mix flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt collectively in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Alternatively, use a big mixing bowl and a handheld electrical mixer. Mix buttermilk, oil, eggs, yolks and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk till clean. With mixer on low, mix dry substances and slowly add moist substances to dry substances. Scrape down sides, and blend till well-blended and clean.

Pour batter into cake pan or evenly divide batter amongst two cake pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, rotating midway by means of, till edges are golden and a tester inserted in heart comes out clear. Let relaxation in pan 5 minutes; gently elevate parchment overhang to take away cake from pan or prove onto a cooling rack and let cool fully.

Vanilla bean cream cheese frosting:

1 cup/8 ounces/226 grams cream cheese, at room temp

1/2 cup/57 grams/1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temp

2 tablespoons bitter cream, crème fraiche, or plain yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 1/2-3 cups/250-300 grams powdered sugar

Pinch salt

Essential: be sure cream cheese and butter are softened to room temp. In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter, bitter cream and vanilla on medium velocity 2 to three minutes, till clean and creamy, scraping bowl as wanted. With mixer on low velocity, slowly add powdered sugar till effectively blended. Improve velocity to excessive and beat about 15-20 seconds till gentle and fluffy. Chill till prepared to make use of; take away from fridge to melt barely earlier than utilizing. Leftover frosting is nice for dipping strawberries