This has to be my most made recipe here at home. We love our corncake, that’s for sure. I call it corncake but it’s cornbread to others, or cornpone in some parts of the country.
I’ve posted many a pic of our corncakes on instagram, and always get asked for the recipe (which was posted here but disappeared when I switched site hosts). I’ve detailed the classic buttery plain version and a bunch of other options we love both sweet and savory. Baked in a screaming hot skillet will give the corncake a beautiful crunchy crust, and baked as muffins will make easy travel friendly/school lunch friendly treats. Have fun creating your own flavor combos too. Tag me on instagram (@fareisle) so I can see your creations!
Recipe after the jump…
Easy Vegan Skillet Corncake
Yield 1/12 8" skillet cake/muffins
Whatever you call it it's super easy to make, and always so so satisfying. Enjoyed at breakfast, afternoon tea, with dinner or as a dessert, this corncake is so versatile.
Ingredients
Classic Corncake
- 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)
- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar (whole cane sugar)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fresh Fruit Corncake
- 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)
- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar (whole cane sugar)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup fresh/frozen berries or chopped/sliced fresh/frozen fruits
Dried Fruit & Nut Corncake
- 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)
- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar (whole cane sugar)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- add 1/2 cup of chopped dried fruits like dates, figs, sweetened cranberries, raisins, currants, etc.
- add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, etc.
Cranberry-Orange Corncake
- 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)
- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar (whole cane sugar)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup of halved fresh or frozen cranberries
- grated zest of 1 orange
Fresh Corn & Jalapeño Corncake
- 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)
- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar (whole cane sugar) (optional)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup fresh/frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 diced fresh jalapeño pepper
- tablespoon of chopped cilantro (optional)
Fresh Herb Corncake
- 1 1/4 cup fine cornmeal
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or spelt)
- 1/2 cup rapadura sugar (whole cane sugar) (optional)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt (optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, tarragon, sage, parsley, cilantro, mint, fennel flowers/pollen, dill, oregano or any combination thereof
- grated zest of a lemon
Instructions
For Classic Corncake:
- Preheat oven to 375˚F with an 8" cast iron skillet set on middle rack. Allow skillet to preheat for a solid 20-30 minutes (depending on how fast your oven preheats) before you add the batter to it.
- Add lemon juice to milk and let stand while you prepare other ingredients to thicken milk.
- Whisk together cornmeal, flour, rapadura, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil and vanilla extract to milk mixture and whisk together.
- Add wet to dry and stir together with a rubber spatula until just incorporated.
- Using a potholder carefully remove hot skillet from oven so as not to burn oneself. Add 1 tablespoon of a high heat tolerant oil like canola or sunflower oil to the skillet and using a potholder hold the handle and swirl skillet so oil covers the entire base and lower part of the sides.
- Add the batter to the oiled skillet-it should sizzle. Place skillet back on center rack in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until edges are nicely browned and the top is cracked and golden.
- Cool in skillet for 10 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature.
For Fresh Fruit Corncake:
- Follow the classic recipe above with reduced olive oil.
- Add the grated zest of 1 lemon to the batter.
- Add 3/4 cup fresh/frozen berries or chopped/sliced fresh/frozen fruits to the batter and fold them in right before adding the batter to the skillet.
- After you add the batter to the skillet decorate the top of the batter with another 1/4 cup of whatever fruit you are using. You can optionally sprinkle top with a spoonful of sweetener of your choice.
- Baking time is the same.
For Dried Fruit and Nut Corncake:
- Follow the classic recipe above with reduced olive oil.
- add 1/2 cup of chopped dried fuits like dates, figs, sweetened cranberries, raisins, currants, etc.
- add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, almonds, etc.
- Baking time is the same.
For Cranberry-Orange Corncake:
- Follow the classic recipe above with reduced olive oil.
- Add 1 cup of halved fresh or frozen cranberries and the grated zest of 1 orange to the batter.
- Baking time is the same.
For Fresh Corn & Jalapeño Corncake:
- Follow the classic recipe above, without vanilla extract. Optionally reduce rapadura to 1/4 cup, or omit altogether for a less sweet version.
- Add 1/2 cup fresh/frozen sweet corn kernels and 1 diced fresh jalapeño pepper to batter. Optionally add tablespoon of chopped cilantro.
- Baking time is the same.
For Fresh Herb Corncake:
- Follow the classic recipe above, without vanilla extract. Optionally reduce rapadura to 1/4 cup, or omit altogether for a less sweet version.
- Add 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs such as rosemary, thyme, tarragon, sage, parsley, cilantro, mint, fennel flowers/pollen, dill, oregano or any combination thereof.
- Add the grated zest of a lemon.
- Baking time is the same.
For Corncake Muffins:
- Grease or line a standard 12 portion muffin tin.
- Follow any of the recipe versions above, but do not preheat the muffin tin.
- Spoon batter into the muffin cups to 3/4 full.
- Bake muffins at 375˚F for 20-25 minutes until tops are golden and cracked.
Notes
Corncake will keep covered at room temperature for up to a week.
Did you make a recipe?
Tag @fareisle on Instagram and hashtag it #fareisle.
Handmade wares used in this post: Leather potholder by Farrell & Co. (my sister!), berry colander by Facture Goods, Arebesque mixing and pinch bowls by Lee Wolfe Pottery, Pear wood stirring spoon by Sweet Gum. Co.
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