When I was young, we would celebrate the Spring arrival of fresh maple syrup in the household by baking a Johnny Cake. If you aren’t familiar with Johnny Cake, it’s basically a sweeter and lighter version of cornbread. We would eat it warm with maple syrup poured over it. The syrup would soak into the cake and become wonderfully moist and sweet.
This Blueberry Cornmeal Cake is very much like Johnny Cake but with the addition of some fresh or frozen blueberries. Today, I used frozen blueberries, since I had frozen some earlier in the season. Even so, this cake isn’t a dessert kind of cake really. I think it’s best in the morning or for an afternoon or after-school snack and when paired with a drizzle of maple syrup, it’s perfect, comfort food and a wonderful sweet treat.
Crunchy on the outside and super moist on the inside! Perfect served with maple syrup.
Blueberry Cornmeal Skillet Cake
Summary: This is fabulous cake served warm from the skillet with a drizzle of maple syrup. You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries. No need to thaw the blueberries if frozen. Just use them straight from the freezer.
Ingredients
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray, for greasing pan
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks or 5 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt
- 3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. and spray a 10-inch-diameter springform pan (with 2 3/4-inch-high sides) with nonstick spray.
- Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder and baking soda in medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk oil, eggs, vanilla, and honey.
- Using electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large bowl until creamy. With mixer running on medium speed, gradually add egg mixture/ Beat to blend. Beat in flour mixture just until blended. Add ricotta and yogurt. Beat on low speed just to blend.
- Pour half of batter into prepared pan and spread. Scatter on half of the blueberries over batter. Spoon remaining batter over in dollops, then spread to cover blueberries. Scatter remaining blueberries over top. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon sugar over blueberries.
- Bake cake until top is golden brown and tester inserted into centre comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on rack before removing to a plate.
- Dust cooled cake with icing (confectioners)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 hour 20 min
Total time: 1 hour 40 min
Number of servings (yield): 8-10
Very pretty the way the cake results in two distinct layers. Bet it tastes delicious.
Thanks Michelle. It was interesting to see the way it made the layers like that since the blueberries were sprinkled in the middle and on the top! It was a really nice cake. I liked it best with maple syrup but it was nice without it, as well.
My mom used to fry cornmeal cakes that we always ate with syrup- they were so delicious! This looks delicious as well. I love the moist blueberry layer on the bottom!
I made this for brunch with friends this morning and it was a hit!
This is perfect brunch food, Amy. Glad you enjoyed it!