All the sweet flavors of fresh corn captured in a gorgeous corn layer cake with a soft cornmeal cake, sweet corn pastry cream and a flavorful corn buttercream! Bake this in a 9×13 pan for a sheet cake that’s easy to serve to a crowd, perfect for parties.

Why you’ll love this cake

It actually tastes like corn! You’ll steep fresh corn and corn cobs in cream to make a flavorful corn pudding that gets incorporated into the filling and frosting.
Lots of texture: The tender, slightly crumbly cake is like a lighter sweet cornbread. The silky pastry cream filling contrasts the crunchy cornmeal crumb and the soft corn buttercream ties everything together!
Easy to assemble: The cake is baked in a 9×13 pan for an easy sheet cake style that’s easy to assemble and serve.

How I developed this corn cake

I always like understanding how other creators develop their recipes, so this was my process for this corn layer cake:

Corn cake tests: I started by testing a few existing recipes: this corn cake from Food52 (great flavor, but a bit heavy for a layer cake) and Milk Bar’s corn cake (I somehow messed something up and ended up with what felt like a gooey butter corn cake–delicious, but not what I was going for).
Corn cake development: I ultimately went back to the drawing board and used the winner of my vanilla cake bake off as the base with the following changes:
- Swapped in some cornmeal for the flour
- Switched to all-purpose flour instead of cake flour for more structure
- Used water instead of milk in the batter to reduce the amount of ingredients needed
- Increased the oil slightly to compensate for using less egg
- And I loved the result–a fluffy, lightly sweet, faintly crumbly cake with a hint of corn.
Corn pudding testing: The corn pudding is very lightly adapted from this corn pudding by Easy Gay Oven. It’s a labor of love (you have to steep the corn for at least an hour), but it really does lend a perfect corn flavor. My changes:
- Using cream and water instead of milk and cream (again to reduce the amount of ingredients needed)
- Halved the amount of liquid and reduced the amount of corn for a smaller volume of pudding
- Used the same amount of sugar, egg yolks and slightly less cornstarch for a pudding that sets up fairly thick
- Omitted the butter since this pudding will be incorporated into butter later
Corn jam: I also tried the corn pudding using a corn jam (pureeing the corn and liquid together first before cooking the strained liquid down in a pot, THEN thickening it into a pudding). But the flavor wasn’t as rich as steeping the corn + cobs, so I nixed this idea.
Corn filling: Once I had the corn pudding, the rest was fairly easy. I made a corn diplomat cream by folding in some whipped cream into some of the pudding. Folding in whole corn kernels is key here for juicy pops of corn.
Corn buttercream: The buttercream is simply corn pudding whipped with butter, miso paste, cream, powdered sugar and a little salt. Even though adding cream to the frosting pushes it to the softer side, the flavor felt superior with a few added tablespoons!

Ingredients

Fresh corn: You can use white or yellow corn–yellow corn will yield a more vibrant yellow color (see first photo). I also tested this with canned corn. To me, the flavor of the corn pudding wasn’t as rich without the corn cobs, but I do think canned corn has a better (softer, juicier) texture for folding into the filling. You can use canned corn in a pinch but I recommend fresh corn. (If you use fresh corn, I highly recommend steaming the corn that goes into the filling first to remove the starchy texture.)
Heavy cream: This recipe is designed to use cream throughout the pudding, filling and frosting rather than calling for milk at any point. In the U.S., heavy cream is the same as whipping cream in most grocery stores.
Finely ground cornmeal: I highly recommend seeking out a finely ground cornmeal (like Indian Head) if you can. A coarser grind will still work, but might make your cake texture more coarse. The type of cornmeal matters less in the cornmeal crumb.
Eggs: It’s important to use room temperature eggs to help the batter emulsify properly. I almost always forget to set out my eggs to warm up, so to quickly bring them to room temperature, soak your eggs in hot water for 5 minutes before using.
Neutral oil: Any flavorless oil like vegetable, canola, grapeseed, or even refined coconut oil will work.
Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream is always best for the most rich and tender crumb. If your sour cream isn’t at room temperature when you’re ready to bake the cake, you can whisk it with the water and then microwave for 20 seconds to remove the chill.
Miso paste: Either red or white miso paste will work (I used red).
Kosher salt: I standardize my recipes on Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using table salt, Morton’s, or a different brand, try starting with half the amount listed.

Why you should make this cake over two days

I tested this cake 4 times: 3 times spread out over the course of two days and once all in one day. Although it might be tempting to attempt this cake in one sitting, you should at least make the corn pudding a day ahead–it’s best thoroughly chilled overnight.

For your sanity, I also recommend baking the cake and crumb a day ahead and freezing the cake overnight so it’s easier to work with. My suggested schedule:

Day 1: Make the corn pudding and chill overnight. Bake the cake and crumb and freeze the cake overnight.
Day 2: Make the corn diplomat cream filling and corn buttercream. Assemble and enjoy!

How to make this cake

This cake consists of 5 components: a corn pudding, corn cake, cornmeal crumb, corn diplomat cream, and corn buttercream. Admittedly, this cake is a labor of love optimized for flavor, not for ease–but it’s easier than it might sound.

Once you’ve made the corn pudding (which goes into the diplomat cream and buttercream), you’re basically almost there!

Step 1: Combine the fresh corn, corn cobs, cream, water, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Let cook for 1 minute.

Step 2: Remove from heat, cover and let mixture steep for 1-2 hours.

Step 3: Make the cake: Whisk together all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, add softened butter and mix on low until the dry ingredients are moistened and crumbly.

Step 4: Whisk together the wet ingredients until smooth, then stream them into flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Pour batter into a parchment-lined 9×13 pan and bake for 30-35 min.

Step 5: While the oven is still on, make the cornmeal crumb. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add the melted butter and toss until you have lightly moistened crumbs.

Step 6: Spread crumbs out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes (crumbs should still be pale but fragrant). Let cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Step 7: Make the pudding: Remove the corn cobs from the steeped milk mixture and use an immersion whisk or blender to blend the remaining mixture until as smooth as possible. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve and discard corn fibers (or use in a salad).

Step 8: Whisk together egg yolks, cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until you have a smooth paste.

Step 9: Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the strained corn milk mixture until smooth, then place in small saucepan over medium low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture starts bubbling and the whisk leaves streaks in the pudding. Transfer to a heat-safe proof bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Step 10: Make the diplomat cream filling: Whip the chilled corn pudding until it’s loosened and smooth, then remove 1/2 cup of pudding and set aside for the buttercream. Whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream to stiff peaks, then fold the whipped cream into the remaining amount of corn pudding. Fold in reserved fresh corn. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 11: Make the corn buttercream: add 1/2 cup reserved corn pudding in the bowl of a stand mixer along with the butter and miso paste. Cream until light and fluffy.

Step 12: Add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the cream and whip for another 30-60 seconds until fluffy. Taste and add salt to taste.

Step 13: To assemble the cake: torte the cake and fill with the corn diplomat cream, then a layer of cornmeal crumb, reserving at least 1/4 cup for the garnish. Spread a thin layer of the corn diplomat cream on the bottom of the second layer of cake to help the crumbs adhere to the top cake layer.

Step 14: Top with the second layer of cake, frosted side down, and finish with the corn buttercream. Garnish with additional cornmeal crumbs and fresh corn!

Make ahead and storage

If you’d like to make this cake ahead of time (highly recommended since it’s labor-intensive!), here’s what I’d recommend for each component:

Cake: Make up to a week ahead and freeze, wrapped well.
Crumb: Make up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Corn pudding: Make up to 3 days ahead and store in the fridge, covered.
Corn filling and buttercream: Make the same day as assembly.
Entire cake: Can be assembled a day ahead. Keep it covered and refrigerated until ready to serve (you can take it out 30 minutes or so before serving to let it come to temp).

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Corn Cake

Erika Kwee

This corn layer cake features a cornmeal cake, a corn pastry cream filling and corn buttercream made with fresh corn!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 2 30

Cook Time 45

Course Dessert

Servings 9×13 cake

Ingredients

For the corn pudding

2-3 ears fresh corn, divided (around 3 cups) 420g
3/4 cup heavy cream 170g
1/4 cup water 113g
1/2 cup sugar, divided 100g
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 large egg yolks 28g
2 tbsp cornstarch 14g

For the corn cake

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 210g
1 1/2 cups sugar 300g
3/4 cup finely ground cornmeal 90g
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 85g
3/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature 170g
3/4 cup water, at room temperature 170g
7 tbsp neutral oil 90g
2 large eggs, at room temperature 100g
1 tbsp vanilla extract

For the corn crumb

1/2 cup all purpose flour 60g
2 tbsp freeze-dried corn powder* 9g
1 tbsp corn flour* 8g
3 tbsp sugar 33g
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the corn diplomat cream

1 cup corn pudding 226g
3/4 cup heavy cream 170g
1/2 cup fresh corn (optional)

For the corn buttercream

1/2 cup corn pudding 113g
12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened slightly 170g
1 tbsp miso paste
3-4 cups powdered sugar 339-452g
2 tbsp heavy cream 28g
pinch of kosher salt, to taste

To assemble

1/4 cup cornmeal crumb
2 tbsp fresh or canned corn kernels

Instructions

For the corn pudding

Cut the corn off the cobs and set aside 1 cup of whole kernels for the filling/garnish. Snap the cobs in half and place them along with the remaining 2 cups corn kernels in a medium saucepan.
Add the heavy cream, water, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt to the saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and let simmer 1 full minute, then turn off the heat, cover and let steep for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 hours).
Discard the corn cobs and use an immersion blender to thoroughly blend the corn mixture. Wipe out the saucepan to remove any remaining corn fibers, then strain the corn mixture through a fine mesh sieve back into the saucepan, using a spatula to get as much liquid as possible out of the corn mixture.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the corn mixture in the saucepan and set over medium low heat.
Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture comes to a simmer. Let cook for one additional minute until thickened (you'll see the whisk leaving streaks in the pudding and a line drawn in the pudding on a spatula should hold its shape).
Pour the pudding into a heat-proof bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.

For the corn cake

Preheat oven to 350 and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Mix on low to combine.
With the mixer on low, add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time and mix for 1-2 minutes or until the butter is fully incorporated and the mixture looks moistened and crumbly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the room temperature sour cream, water, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, slowly stream the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture and mix for 30 seconds until the batter is smooth.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top just springs back under your fingers and the edges are just starting to brown. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to use (ideally overnight).

For the corn crumb

While the oven is still on, combine the flour, freeze-dried corn powder, corn flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and mix until you have a fairly even crumbly mixture (you want all the crumbs to be a similar size).
Pour the crumbs onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until crumbs are still mostly pale but set. Remove and let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

For the corn diplomat cream

Optional but recommended step: Add the reserved 1 cup of fresh corn kernels to a small saucepan and steam with 2 tbsp of water for 5 minutes until the kernels are plump and soft. Let cool completely before using. Personally, I don't love the texture of starchy raw corn. But if you like it, you can skip this step!
Add the chilled corn pudding to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high for 30-60 seconds or until the pudding is loosened and smooth.
Transfer the pudding to a separate bowl. In the same bowl of the stand mixer, add 3/4 cup heavy cream and whip to stiff peaks.
Remove 4 oz of the corn pudding and set aside for the corn buttercream. Fold the whipped cream into the remaining amount of pudding (should be around 8oz) until smooth. Set aside around 2 tbsp of corn kernels for garnish, then fold the rest of the corn into the cream. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the corn buttercream

Add the reserved 4 oz of whipped corn pudding, butter and miso paste to the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed until everything is evenly incorporated.
Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed until smooth. Add the heavy cream and whip on high for 30-60 seconds, or until very fluffy. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.

To assemble

Torte the corn cake (slice it into two layers). Spread the corn diplomat cream on top of the first layer and cover with a layer of corn crumbs (reserving 1/4 cup for the garnish).
Top with the second layer of cake and do a light crumb coat with the corn buttercream. Chill for 10-15 minutes, then finish with a final layer of buttercream.
For the garnish, use a chef's knife to trace a grid across the top of the cake (I did 4×8 for a total of 32 rectangles). Using your reserved corn crumbs and fresh corn, top each rectangle with a tiny pile of corn crumbs and a single kernel of corn. Refrigerate until ready to serve and enjoy!

Notes

*If you don’t have freeze-dried corn powder or corn flour on hand, you can swap these for 1/4 cup cornmeal. The corn flavor will be less prominent, but you’ll still have a buttery crunch.

If you happen to have corn cookies on hand, try skipping the corn crumb and crumble those into the middle instead! The first time I made this cake, I had some leftover Milk Bar corn cookies that I crumbled into the middle and it was quite good.

The corn cake is quite delicate, so I recommend fully chilling it (ideally in the freezer) after it’s baked. On the day of assembly, remove the cake from the freezer to let it defrost slightly while you make the diplomat cream and buttercream.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Sweet Corn Layer Cake

Why you’ll love this cake

How I developed this corn cake

Ingredients

Why you should make this cake over two days

How to make this cake

Make ahead and storage