This strawberry cornmeal cake is a rich and tangy buttermilk cake with a tender crumb that incorporates cornmeal for added sweetness and texture. It’s strawberry shortcake meets cornbread – with light, sweet whipped cream dolloped on top!
Mother’s Day is this weekend, and that reminds me of a funny Mother’s Day story from a few years ago. For the longest time, my sister and I both thought our mom loved angel food cake with strawberries. I had many memories of my mom enjoying it when I was a little kid, and I’m guessing my sister had the same. I never took a liking to it – I was always more partial to “real” cake that was rich and heavy. Well, cut to a few years ago when my sister had a rude awakening when she attempted to make our mom an angel food cake with strawberries.
Because my sister didn’t know how to bake, the cake didn’t turn out so well. This alone made my mom chuckle. But what made my mom laugh uncontrollably was the discovery that both me and my sister had this notion of angel food cake being our mom’s absolute favorite cake. Turns out, she hates angel food cake! I don’t know how my sister and I both thought it was her favorite, but we all really enjoyed the laugh. Since I know for a fact that my mom loves strawberries and “regular” cake, with Mother’s Day approaching I wanted to create a beautiful and delicious cake with strawberries that I think my mom would swoon over: I give you this strawberry cornmeal cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cornmeal cake?
Cornmeal cake is a mix between cornbread and yellow cake. The cornmeal adds sweetness and texture to the cake, while the yellow cake ingredients make it light and fluffy. The recipe adds buttermilk as well, which adds moisture and a slight tanginess that pairs beautifully with the cornmeal.
Do I have to use buttermilk?
Buttermilk isn’t required for this recipe to be delicious. If you prefer, you can substitute regular milk or your favorite milk alternative.
Can I use a different fruit if I don’t like strawberries?
Definitely! This cake would be delicious in the summer served with peaches, blueberries, raspberries, or whichever fruit is available in your part of the world.
What if I don’t like almond extract?
If you aren’t a fan of almond extract (I love it and like to add it to a variety of baked goods), you can just leave it out. You don’t need to add extra vanilla extract or substitute anything else.
Ingredients Needed
For the cake
- Unsalted butter and cornmeal, for preparing the pan
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the strawberries
- 2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Cornmeal Cake
This wonderful cake is almost fail-proof! It bakes up beautifully in one pan, and with the added bonus of homemade whipped cream and strawberries, it is a very striking cake that is also extremely flavorful. It has a tender crumb that is reminiscent of yellow cake, but with a bit more texture from the addition of cornmeal. Depending on the time of year, use your favorite seasonal fruit. And if you choose, you could toss the strawberries with a bit of brandy or amaretto before serving.
More Dessert Recipe Ideas!
I recommend spooning on the whipped cream and strawberries right before serving. Or, if you prefer, you could place the whipped cream and strawberries on the table in separate bowls, and top each slice of cake as it is served. However you serve it, it will be a favorite with your guests!
Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.
Strawberry Cornmeal Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- Unsalted butter and cornmeal, for preparing the pan
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the strawberries
- 2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
For the whipped cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides, and dust with cornmeal, shaking out the excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Stop once to scrape down sides of bowl, and continue to beat for an additional minute.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition.
- In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with buttermilk mixture. Mix just until incorporated, stopping at least once to scrape down sides of bowl. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake until top is golden brown and firm to the touch, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes. Use a knife or offset spatula to loosen cake from pan by going around the edge of cake. Invert the cake onto a baking sheet, then re-invert onto a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature.
- Toss hulled and sliced strawberries with lemon juice. Cover and chill in refrigerator.
- Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to bowl. Whip at high speed for several minutes, until soft peaks are formed. Cover and chill in refrigerator.
- Once cake is completely cooled, transfer to serving platter. Add whipped cream to cake and spread evenly. Add strawberries in a pretty arrangement.
- Leftover cake can be placed in an airtight container and stored in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I’ve never tried a cornmeal cake before! This sounds so interested and delicious. Definitely a must try!
Thanks, Lauren!
This is so delicious. Strawberry is a lovely seasonal fruit. Cant wait to try it this weekend and treat my family to some delicious dessert.
Yay! I think they will love it!
I have never had a cornmeal cake before. The texture is really nice. I loved the strawberries and whipped cream topping. Delicious.
So glad you liked it, Angela!
I love how unique this cake is. Strawberries are my favorite too!
Thanks, Erika! Let’s hear it for strawberry season!
I love strawberry desserts and this strawberry cornmeal cake is going on my “to bake” list ASAP!
Yay! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did here!
I will be giving this beautiful cake a try! And the memories brought a smile to my heart! I cannot get over how beautiful your pictures are!
Thank you! 🙂