These cakes are an ode to my home state of Kansas, which I adore so much that I have an outline of it tattooed on my neck! Kansas has the dreamiest and sweetest corn you ever did eat. The polenta in this recipe produces a perfect, slightly dense, not-too-sweet dessert that’s somewhere between cornbread and cake.
Makes 18 mini cakes
Difficulty: Easy
Make Ahead and Storage: I prefer these cakes warm, but, once cooled, they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C, with a rack in the middle. Lightly grease eighteen 4-ounce ramekins, muffin cups (see Pro Tips), or freestanding baking cups (see Pro Tips) and place on two baking sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, polenta, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another medium bowl, whisk the butter, honey, eggs, and buttermilk to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. Fold in the corn.
4. Scoop the batter into the prepared ramekins or muffin cups, filling each just over three-quarters full.
5. Bake the cakes (on the baking sheets) until they are golden at the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then unmold.
6. Serve the cakes warm or at room temperature, with a dollop of crème fraîche and a drizzle of honey.
✻ Why It Works
This simple batter is really a form of quick bread, with a slightly more liquid batter thanks to the honey.
★ Pro Tips
I like to bake these cakes in a variety of freestanding paper baking cups to give them different shapes. My favorites are fluted cupcake/brioche liners (see Resources) that make the cakes look a little like Kansas sunflowers.
If you don’t have two muffin pans, bake in batches.