I bought a bunch of really amazing cornmeal and polenta on sale recently so I’ve been using the bounty of ingredients as rationalization to cook some hearty and amazing dishes and treats. I love a good cornbread recipe and if polenta cake is ever on a menu I’ll always order it.
This recipe os based on a King Arthur Flour recipe for Cornmeal Ricotta Cake. I adjusted the recipe a bit to use sour cream instead of ricotta as I’m more apt to have sour cream in my refrigerator these days. One of my favorite flavor combinations is maple and walnut. Maybe it’s because my dad was a maple-lover or the fact that I grew up so close to the Canadian border?
I’m not afraid to use flavor extracts in my baking. I often double-up on the flavor amount just because I like a little POW! in my bakes. One of my favorite extracts is Mapleine. The packaging is the same from when I was a kid! It’s so charming and retro. I’ve never used the Mapleine extract to make pancake syrup, but according to the package instructions that’s an option too.
Have you ever wondered what makes a coffee cake a coffee cake? Well, it’s not because coffee is an ingredient. This recipe for Cornmeal & Walnut Coffee Cake does not call for a drop of coffee! Coffee cakes are usually snack cakes with no fillings or frosting that are sometimes topped with a crumble or streusel. If I want to fancy this cake up I sometimes make it with some white chocolate chips inside the cake and also mixed into the topping.
You can make this coffee cake with other flavor combinations if you wish. I sometimes make it with cinnamon and citrus zest, or swap in almond extract or vanilla. You can swap the walnuts for other types of nuts or even fresh berries.
Cornmeal & Walnut Coffee Cake
This cornmeal & walnut coffee cake is perfect to serve at special breakfasts, brunches, and even dinner parties. Cornmeal, walnuts, and sour cream make this a delicious treat your family will love. Serve this warm right out of the oven like I do. You can swap out the extract flavor and top with lightly sweetened whipped cream too.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 10 tbps unsalted butter at room temperature 142g
- 1 cup sugar 198g
- 1¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
- ⅔ cup cornmeal 92g
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream 227g
- 2 tsp maple extract like Mapleine you can substitute your favorite flavor like vanilla or almond instead or even citrus zest
- ⅔ cup chopped walnuts 100g
Topping:
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar white sugar will work too
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350F.
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Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
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In a stand mixer cream together the butter and sugar while you measure out your dry ingredients. You want it light and fluffy. I mix on medium for 5 minutes.
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Measure out dry cake ingredients into a bowl and set aside.
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Add your eggs, sour cream, and extract to the stand mixer and mix just until incorporated.
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Pour in dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick.
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Spread evenly in your lined springform pan.
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Prepare your topping by mixing sugar and chopped walnuts and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.
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Bake for 45-55 minutes. I usually start checking for doneness after 35 minutes.
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Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then release from springform and allow to cool completely. Serve with coffee or tea and if you want to get fancy make some lightly sweetened maple whipped cream.
