Maple Cornmeal Pound Cake

A rustic, holiday cake that you’ll want to keep on the counter all Thanksgiving weekend. The browned butter and maple add so much flavor and really take this pound cake to the next level. The crumb is still tight like a traditional pound cake, while the cornmeal gives it an incredible texture. When served fresh, the top will have that classic pound cake crunch.

In this cake, it improves the bake by having the eggs and buttermilk at room temperature. So pull those out when you begin to brown the butter, so when it is cooled and set, the eggs and buttermilk will be at the perfect temperature.

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Maple Cornmeal Pound Cake

Yield: One 8.5 x 4.5-inch or 9x5-inch loaf cake

Ingredients

• ½ cup Salted Butter
• 1 cup White Granulated Sugar
• ¼ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
• ¼ cup Maple Crystals
• 3 Large Eggs, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cup Miller’s Choice Unbleached Flour
• ½ cup 1830 Grind Unbolted Yellow Cornmeal
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ⅔ cup Whole Fat Buttermilk, room temperature

Maple Glaze

• 2 tbsp Maple Crystals
• 1 tbsp Water, boiling
• 1 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 – 2 tbsp Buttermilk or whole milk

Instructions

1. Brown your butter and let it cool until set. You want it set to the firmness of room temperature butter.
2. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. In a stand mixer or large bowl, combine the sugars and then cream them with the brown butter for 5 minutes so it’s light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating until completely incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk to combine. With the mixer on low, add in 1/3rd of the flour and let it fold in. Then add half of the buttermilk and let it fold in. Then repeat. Scrap down the beater and bowl to get any butter or flour mixed in. Finishing with the last 1/3rd of the flour, fold in just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
4. Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes or until it tests done in the middle. Do not overbake it to prevent it from drying out.
5. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out and flip it right side up to finish cooling on a baker’s rack. Mix up the glaze and drizzle or pour it over the top of the cake.