The Most Adaptable One-Bowl Cornmeal Pound Cake

By Melissa Clark

Updated June 24, 2026

  • Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
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Total Time
1 hour
Rating
5(1,546)
Comments
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Is it cake time yet? Cake is comforting in a way that a tart or cookies are not, and this is especially true of loaf cakes, which you can convince yourself is just like bread. Slices of it fit in the toaster, so really, what’s the difference? This citrus-scented cornmeal number is endlessly adaptable — use whatever fat you have on hand, dairy or light, bright flavoring you have on hand — and requires just one bowl. It’s wonderful in slices, but extra nice toasted and buttered for breakfast.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 (9-inch) loaf

  • 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

  • An orange, lime or lemon (optional)

  • ½ cup/120 milliliters liquid fat (olive oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, melted butter, whatever you’ve got)

  • 2 eggs

  • ½ cup/120 milliliters plain yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, or ½ cup whole milk mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • A dash of vanilla or almond extract, or use brandy (optional)

  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ cup/60 grams cornmeal

  • 1 ¼ cup/160 grams all-purpose flour

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees, and grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan. (Or grease and line it with parchment.)

  2. Step 2

    In a big bowl, add the sugar, and grate the zest from the orange, lemon or lime into the bowl. If you need a little aromatherapy, work the zest into the sugar with your fingers. (This technique is supposed to infuse the citrus into the sugar.)

  3. Step 3

    Add the fat, eggs, and yogurt to the bowl, along with the extract and nutmeg, if you like.

  4. Step 4

    Whisk in the salt, baking soda, baking powder and cornmeal. Once smooth, whisk in flour.

  5. Step 5

    Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake until the top is golden brown at the edges and the center springs back when lightly pressed, 45 minutes to an hour. Let it (mostly) cool in the pan. Then slice off a thick piece, butter it and let yourself be soothed.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,546 user ratings
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Comments

vrog

we’ve always loved you, melissa clark, but during quarantine now more so than ever. i love these “anything works” recipes for so many reasons, but above all because you’re sneaking a little bit of fun and creativity into my day with these recipes. thank you for what you do!

terry

This is excellent and so easy. I have made it 3 times already. Twice with lemon zest and once with orange zest (prefer the lemon). Twice with sour cream and once with buttermilk (prefer sour cream). Grated nutmeg each time, but not necessary. Used melted butter each time. Used splash of Amaretto instead of vanilla, because I had it in the cupboard.

lee

This is delicious and so easy. I particularly appreciate that it does NOT start with "in the bowl of a stand mixer..." I used coconut oil and it gives a very subtle coconut flavour profile. If you run a wet knife through the middle before you put it in the oven it creates a nice 'crack" in the centre.

Wendy

I made this today and found it very oily. Next time, I will substitute applesauce for some of the oil

Risottogirl

We love this cake for so many uses - sweet snack with tea, dessert with fruit and chantilly, even for breakfast with jam. I am always swimming in Meyer lemons so I use lots and skip the vanilla, nutmeg etc. I always have kefir and coconut oil around so that is what I use and I cut the sugar to 150g. I usually make it in an 8 x 8 baking pan because it portions easier and takes only 23-25 minutes to bake.

Glen Park

Following some of the Notes, I reduced sugar by half (to 1/2 cup). Result was more like cornbread than cake per se, but still really delicious. (Will maybe try 3/4 cup of sugar next time.) Used "medium-grind" cornmeal (since I like a bit of grit). I/2 cup doesn't seem like much cornmeal but it's perfect. In addition to working the lemon zest into the sugar at the outset, I added also 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, to increase that flavor, which complements the cornmeal beautifully.

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