Blueberry cornmeal cake will remind you of a favorite muffin, with the rustic crunch of cornmeal and lots of jammy fresh blueberries.
Blueberry cornmeal muffins — don’t they just sound like summer? Here’s a no-fuss cake recipe that will remind you of a favorite muffin or fruity cornbread, in cake form. This hefty little loaf contains olive oil for a tender crumb, and it’s studded with fresh blueberries that become jammy and concentrated while they bake.
Everyone needs a handful of back-pocket recipes for using up fresh berries (that is, if you and your household ever get tired of gobbling them up by the handful, which I admit is my own secret favorite way). Make this cake when you have a stash of blueberries and a leisurely weekend ahead, and watch both of them disappear.
I’m a huge fan of cornmeal in desserts, especially the rustic. coarsely-ground stuff. It has a really pleasant crunch and toasty corn flavor that’s irresistible.
The rustic texture of this cake gets even better a day or two after baking — it’s a “keeper” cake, which to me is code word for “slice thickly and slather with butter and jam.”
Do I need to suggest that a slab of blueberry cornmeal cake is really lovely toasted, buttered and served for breakfast?
I’ve kept the ingredients to a minimum in the recipe, but there are other ways to dress up this cake, if you’re into it:
- Add a tablespoon or so of fresh lemon zest to the batter.
- Make a creamy icing and pour it over the cooled cake.
- Play around with the fruit — substitute blackberries or raspberries for the blueberries, or a mixture of all three.
fresh blueberry cornmeal olive oil cake
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 1 loaf
Easy to make blueberry cornmeal cake studded with fresh jammy berries and the rustic crunch of cornmeal.
This cake keeps well for days after baking. Try it toasted, spread with creamy sweet butter and your favorite jam.
Ingredients
- 1 cup polenta or stone-ground cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a standard loaf pan and cut a piece of parchment to fit inside, with the long edges overhanging by 2 or 3 inches.
- Whisk the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl.
- Beat the eggs, egg whites and sugar in a heavy-duty mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and creamy. On low speed, slowly pour in the oil. Mix in the sour cream.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until just blended, then fold in 1 cup of the blueberries.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the top. Bake for 1 hour plus 25 - 30 minutes — the top of the cake should be golden and a toothpick inserted in the top of the cake should come out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack. Once it's completely cool, use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan.
Courses dessert
Cuisine cake
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Natalie says
Looks so delicious! I love blueberry cakes and the combination with cornmeal and olive oil sounds simply divine! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Liza says
as soon as I get home, I am making this! XO
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
Such a lovely cake for summer!