Cornmeal Pound Cake

Like a happy marriage between a sweet cornbread and a perfect cream cheese pound cake, this recipe is Southern all the way through. The cornmeal gives this classic cream cheese pound cake a gorgeous texture and flavor, making this an absolutely fantastic pound cake recipe to keep in your baking arsenal. Just remember to keep the ingredients at room temperature, as this will make for the very best results.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: Makes one 12-inch cake 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

3 sticks salted butter, at room temperature (1.5 cups; see not)
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
7 eggs, at room temperature
1.5 cups cake flour
1.5 cups white cornmeal
3/4 teaspoons baking powder

Optional for serving: fresh berries, whipped cream, ice cream, powdered sugar

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position. Liberally butter a 10 to 12-inch Bundt pan.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl (using a hand-held mixer), cream the salted butter and the cream cheese until very soft and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the sugar, beat for 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and vanilla, and beat for 2 minutes. (It’s a lot of beating, but this is a trick to creating the best crumb/texture).
Add the eggs to the batter, one at a time, mixing each in completely before adding the next.
Add the cake flour, cornmeal, and baking powder and mix on low-medium speed just until they’re combined. Over-mixing will toughen the cake. Pour/scrape the batter into the prepared Bundt pan (make sure to get the stuff at the very bottom of the bowl) and bake for 75 to 90 minutes, or until done all the way through in the center and the top is golden brown. The edges will pull away from the sides when the cake is done, as well.
You’ll want/need to to cool the cake for a long time before trying to remove it – at least an hour. Once it’s cooled significantly, run a knife around the edges and the center and transfer it to a platter/plate. Top however you like and serve either warmed or at room temperature.
This pound cake will keep, covered at room temperature, for four or five days.

Notes

I have almost exclusively switched to using salted butter in my baking, as it tends to always be THE difference maker … it levels the flavor of everything up big time, in the very best way.

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2021/04/12/cornmeal-pound-cake/