Layered Cornbread Cake with Whipped Honey Butter Frosting
A sophisticated, honey-sweetened twist on classic cornbread in a moist triple-layer cake.
Ingredients
- Cake: 3/4 cup salted butter softened, 2 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 2/3 cup raw honey, 3/4 cup light olive oil, 5 large eggs (room temp), 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup masa harina, 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt.
- Frosting: 2 cups European-style butter softened, 3/4 cup raw honey, 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare three round cake pans with parchment paper and nonstick spray.
- Cream the softened salted butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, then mix in the honey and light olive oil.
- Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl until frothy, then stir in the buttermilk and sour cream.
- Combine the flour, masa harina, yellow cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a third bowl.
- Alternately add the dry and wet ingredients to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans briefly before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
- Whip the European butter for the frosting, then add honey, salt, powdered sugar, and cornstarch, beating until cloud-like.
- Stack the cooled layers with a thick coating of frosting between each and across the top and sides.
Notes
Ensure all dairy and eggs are at room temperature to prevent the batter from breaking. Use masa harina rather than just extra cornmeal to achieve the specific depth of flavor and refined texture required for this recipe. Store at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerate for five days.