There’s something comforting about a rustic cake like this buttery blueberry cornmeal cake. It’s simple to make, yet its golden, textured crumb and bursts of juicy blueberries make it look effortlessly stunning. Perfect for a relaxed weekend bake, this recipe is approachable for beginners while offering seasoned bakers a charming treat to whip up easily.
If rustic cakes like this one are your style, I have a few other recipes you might love. Cobblers are some of the easiest desserts to make, and they have the same cozy, homemade charm. My nectarine cobbler, plum cobbler, and peach and blackberry cobbler are all incredibly delicious and worth trying!
Ingredients
- Cornmeal- I used yellow cornmeal, but if you want different options, keep reading below.
- All-purpose flour- you can also use whole wheat pastry flour if you want a whole wheat version.
- Baking powder- for the leavener.
- Baking soda- also a leavening agent.
- Salt- kosher salt is what I always use in my kitchen.
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon zest- Using the zest adds a bright, beautiful flavor to the cake, you don’t want to miss this.
- Butter- What would a buttery cake be without real butter? Not as good, that’s what!
- Ricotta- you could also use Greek yogurt, but I prefer the texture the ricotta gives.
- Eggs
- Blueberries- fresh berries are best as they won’t bleed as much into the cake as frozen berries will.
- Vanilla
Ingredients
In a small bowl, mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside. In a medium-sized bowl, add the softened butter and sugar. Cream it on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. To this add the ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla, and eggs. Mix this until it is combined.
Add the flour/cornmeal mixture to this and mix only until it has combined. You do not want to overmix at this point or you will wind up with a tough cake. When it is combined, pour half the batter into your prepared pan. Add half the berries over the top of this layer. Finish with the rest of the batter, it is a stiff batter, so it won’t spread easily. You can also dot it across the top if you want. Add the rest of the berries and press them into the batter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Bake for 45-55 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Remove it from the oven. Let it cool for 7-10 minutes in the pan, then gently invert to remove it from the pan. Invert it with another cooling rack.
I personally prefer to let this dessert cool thoroughly before eating it, but the hubs loves it warm and served with ice cream. Please let me know what you think- warm or cooled??
Types of cornmeal you can use in this cake
Yellow Cornmeal: Mild flavor, slightly gritty texture, common choice for baking.
White Cornmeal: Milder and sweeter flavor, finer texture than yellow cornmeal.
Blue Cornmeal: Nuttier, earthier flavor, and a unique blue color.
Stone-Ground Cornmeal: Robust, earthy flavor with a coarse texture for a rustic, hearty cake.
Fine or Medium Grind Cornmeal: Softer, finer texture, ideal for a smoother, more delicate crumb.
Other dessert recipes
- Creamy Mascarpone Fruit Dip
- Strawberry Sugar Cookie Bars
- Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bites
- No-Bake Lime Cheesecake
- Apple Pie
- Cherry Slab Pie
- Cherry Ice Cream Float
- Roasted Plums
- Red White and Blue Overnight Oats
Buttery Blueberry Cornmeal Cake
Equipment
- 1 8-inch cake pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar divided
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 9 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 cup ricotta
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your cake pan by buttering generously and sprinkling with flour. Tap the flour around the pan and remove excess.
- Mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set this aside. In a medium-sized bowl, add the softened butter and sugar. Cream it on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add the ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla, and eggs. Mix this until it is combined.
- Add the flour/cornmeal mixture to this and mix only until it has combined. You do not want to overmix at this point or you will wind up with a tough cake. When it is combined, pour half the batter into your prepared pan. Add half the berries over the top of this layer. Finish with the rest of the batter, it is a stiff batter, so it won’t spread easily. You can also dot it across the top if you want. Add the rest of the berries and press them into the batter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. Remove it from the oven. Let it cool for 7-10 minutes in the pan, then gently invert to remove it from the pan. Invert it with another cooling rack. .
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!