The Most Adaptable One-Bowl Cornmeal Poundcake

By Melissa Clark

Updated July 18, 2022

The Most Adaptable One-Bowl Cornmeal Poundcake
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(1,318)
Comments
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Is it cake time yet? Cake is comforting in a way that a tart or cookies are not, and this is especially true of loaf cakes, which you can convince yourself is just like bread. Slices of it fit in the toaster, so really, what’s the difference? This citrus-scented cornmeal number is endlessly adaptable — use whatever fat you have on hand, dairy or light, bright flavoring you have on hand — and requires just one bowl. It’s wonderful in slices, but extra nice toasted and buttered for breakfast.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 (9-inch) loaf
  • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
  • An orange, lime or lemon (optional)
  • ½cup/120 milliliters liquid fat (olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, melted butter, whatever you’ve got)
  • 2eggs
  • ½cup/120 milliliters plain yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or ½ cup whole milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • A dash of vanilla or almond extract, or use brandy (optional)
  • ¼teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)
  • ¼teaspoon salt
  • ¼teaspoon baking soda
  • 1teaspoon baking powder
  • ½cup/60 grams cornmeal
  • 1¼cup/160 grams all-purpose flour
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees, and grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan. (Or grease and line it with parchment.)

  2. Step 2

    In a big bowl, add the sugar, and grate the zest from the orange, lemon or lime into the bowl. If you need a little aromatherapy, work the zest into the sugar with your fingers. (This technique is supposed to infuse the citrus into the sugar.)

  3. Step 3

    Add the fat, eggs, and yogurt to the bowl, along with the extract and nutmeg, if you like.

  4. Step 4

    Whisk in the salt, baking soda, baking powder and cornmeal. Once smooth, whisk in flour.

  5. Step 5

    Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until the top is golden brown at the edges and the center springs back when lightly pressed, 45 minutes to an hour. Let it (mostly) cool in the pan. Then slice off a thick piece, butter it and let yourself be soothed.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,318 user ratings
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Comments

vrog

we’ve always loved you, melissa clark, but during quarantine now more so than ever. i love these “anything works” recipes for so many reasons, but above all because you’re sneaking a little bit of fun and creativity into my day with these recipes. thank you for what you do!

terry

This is excellent and so easy. I have made it 3 times already. Twice with lemon zest and once with orange zest (prefer the lemon). Twice with sour cream and once with buttermilk (prefer sour cream). Grated nutmeg each time, but not necessary. Used melted butter each time. Used splash of Amaretto instead of vanilla, because I had it in the cupboard.

lee

This is delicious and so easy. I particularly appreciate that it does NOT start with "in the bowl of a stand mixer..." I used coconut oil and it gives a very subtle coconut flavour profile. If you run a wet knife through the middle before you put it in the oven it creates a nice 'crack" in the centre.

Lynne

Just made this again- maybe 10th time? I love changing it up. This time I used walnut oil because I had some. I used an orange. I used buttermilk and added vanilla and a teaspoon of Ras el Hanout. Then I added about a half cup of chopped walnuts and the same amount of dried cranberries. I baked it in an 8” cast iron skillet for 35 minutes. Was divine!

dansedufeu

Have made this "hundreds" of times! Easy, satisfying sweet-tartness. Stir in about a cup of frozen berries - blueberries or cranberries work best.

Hungry!

Just coming here to say that this is my favorite (baking) recipe. Simple but with elegant results every time. I've doubled the recipe for a birthday party and tried all sorts of substitutions over the last five years. Last night, I whipped this up with a little rhubarb from the garden to make a modified version of MC's Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake. My go-to base uses lemon zest, yogurt, and good quality olive oil as the fat. Thanks for the gift that keeps on giving!

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