This Corn Layer Cake is a corn and miso cake filled with a vanilla corn pastry cream and covered in corn and honey buttercream frosting. This corn-flavored cake is an ode to one of summer’s best vegetables that is sweet enough to be dessert!
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This layer cake idea has been on my mind since early summer. I have been wanting to bake with corn since I saw fellow blogger Lanibakes use it in this Sweet Corn and Berry Dacquoise. I tend to like recipes that are all one flavor, especially when the flavor I am hoping to feature is subtle. I wanted to experience the maximum corn flavor possible. This cake is a great way to use up a lot of corn because it calls for 6 ears total.
I tend to make a lot of 8-inch 2-layer cakes, but this time I went for the torte method to make four layers because I wanted to experience the delicious corn pastry cream in every bite. If you like a simple 2-layer cake then you would be into my Chocolate Chip Layer Cake. I based the corn buttercream on the recipe from my Blood Orange Layer Cake, which uses an ermine frosting.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- This cake has a robust corn flavor in every bite.
- The cake layers stay moist for days.
- This recipe is great for using up a lot of corn.
- You’ll love this unique flavor.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour lends a tender crumb to the cake layers.
- Baking powder is the leavener which gives the cake lift.
- Fresh corn flavors the cake, pastry cream and buttercream.
- Granulated sugar and honey are sweeteners.
- Vanilla, kosher salt and miso paste balance the overall flavor profile.
- Whole milk, vegetable oil and butter add richness.
- Eggs add structure and richness.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize this cake to your liking:
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- Less dairy — swap the butter in the frosting for dairy-free butter. I have not tried swapping the butter in the cake for dairy-free, so I cannot advise it. Let me know if you do end up trying it!
- Corn kernels in filling — add some whole corn kernels to the pastry cream for a texture variation
- Different filling — instead of corn pastry cream fill the cake with nutella or berry jam
- Different buttercream — use chocolate or vanilla buttercream instead
- Garnish ideas — garnish with sprinkles or modeling chocolate
- Cornmeal — replace ¼ cup of flour in the cake with cornmeal
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to assemble corn layer cake
Step 1: Pipe a thick border of buttercream around the top of the first cake layer. Spoon or pipe corn pastry cream in the middle. Repeat with remaining layers.
Step 2: Cover the cake with a thin layer of buttercream to create a crumb coat to seal in any crumbs. Freeze 5-10 minutes to seal the coating.
Step 3: Spread remaining frosting evenly on the cake before scraping down the outside with a bench scraper to smooth.
Step 4: Garnish with fresh flowers and corn kernels, if desired.
Hot tips
- To remove air bubbles from your buttercream, spread the buttercream onto the inner side of a large bowl in a back and forth motion. I like to do this with small bits at a time as it is easier.
- Choose corn that is more yellow than white as it will be more flavorful.
- Make sure your corn/milk/honey/flour/sugar mixture for the buttercream is fully cooled before adding it to the whipped butter otherwise it could melt the butter and ruin the buttercream.
Recipe FAQs
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Yes, just fill it with more buttercream or jam instead. You will have less buttercream for decorating if you choose to fill with the buttercream in this recipe.
Yes, just use 1 teaspoon more cake flour than what is called for in all-purpose flour.
More recipes you'll love
Lastly, if you make this Corn Layer Cake recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Corn Layer Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Corn pastry cream
- ¾ cup whole milk (180g)
- 2 large ears of yellow corn* kernels stripped and cobs discarded (about 2 cups, 9 oz or 275g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 4 egg yolks (60g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
Corn + miso cake
- ¼ cup whole milk (50g)
- 2 large ears of yellow corn* kernels stripped and cobs discarded (about 2 cups, 9 oz or 275g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (115g)
- 1 ½ tablespoon miso paste or ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 3 teaspoon vegetable oil
Corn + honey buttercream
- ¼ cup honey (3 oz, 81g)
- ⅔ cup milk (6 oz, 162g)
- 2 large ears of yellow corn* kernels stripped and cobs discarded (about 2 cups, 9 oz or 275g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (7 oz, 198g)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (2.25 oz, 65g)
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened (3 sticks, 12 oz)
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- few drops yellow food coloring optional
Instructions
Do ahead
- The pastry cream can be made a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the cake.
Make the pastry cream
- Get out a heat proof medium bowl that you will store the pastry cream in, as well as a piece of plastic wrap. Set it aside.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the milk and corn kernels. Blend until completely smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla.
- Warm this mixture until simmering in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat.
- Combine the granulated sugar and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk by hand or with beaters until light yellow and fluffy. The mixture should leave a trail when the whisk or beaters are pulled up.
- Add flour and cornstarch and whisk until thoroughly combined and lightened even further.
- Slowly stream in the warmed corn vanilla milk mixture with a ladle while whisking vigorously so you do not cook the eggs. Continue slowly adding it in until it is all combined.
- Return the entire mixture to the medium saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until the pastry cream has thickened to a pudding consistency. This can take 3-5+ minutes depending on your burner strength.
- Remove from heat and pour into the heat proof bowl. Cover with plastic and press down to touch the surface of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or place over a bowl of ice to chill faster.
Make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the milk and corn kernels. Blend until completely smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a medium saucepan. Keep the dirty blender out for blending the corn for the frosting, no need to wash it yet.
- Whisk together flour and baking powder until thoroughly combined and set aside.
- Crack eggs into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the eggs on medium speed for 1 minute. With the mixer running, slowly stream the sugar in.
- When the sugar is completely in, turn the speed to high and beat for 7 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
- Add the butter and miso paste to the saucepan with the corn milk mixture and gently heat and whisk until completely melted. Do not let it overheat or simmer. Add the vanilla and oil and whisk to combine. Set aside but do not let it cool off too much (do not do this ahead of time).
- Add the flour mixture in three parts to the egg mixture just mixing until almost combined. If you still see flour, finish mixing by hand by folding the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Remove two large spoonfuls of batter and add it to the corn milk-butter mixture and whisk to completely combine. This tempers your milk mixture so that it does not cook your egg mixture.
- Pour the milk mixture into the rest of the egg mixture with the beaters running on low. Continue beating just 10-15 seconds more until combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Wrap bake even strips around the outsides, if using.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.
Make the buttercream
- In the blender or food processor, combine the honey, milk and corn kernels. Blend until completely smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Set aside.
- Combine flour and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk and cook for about 2 minutes to toast the flour.
- Slowly add the honey milk corn mixture, whisking to combine, and turn heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a simmer, whisking continuously until it is thick and pudding-like. Once simmering, cook for an additional minute.
- Spread the mixture onto a sheet pan lined with plastic or a silicone baking mat and cover with plastic wrap so that it is touching the surface without any air bubbles in between to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely to room temperature. Ensure the mixture is completely cool, otherwise it will melt the butter.
- Add the room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on high until very light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the cooled flour mixture gradually, by the spoonful, while still beating. Incorporating the mixture slowly ensures a smoother consistency.
- Add vanilla and salt, and mix until fully incorporated. Add a few drops of yellow food coloring, if desired, and mix to incorporate.
Assemble the cake
- Prepare the cake layers by cutting off any domed parts with a serrated knife that may have developed when baking. If you would like to torte the cake (make more layers), cut the two cake layers in half lengthwise to make four cake layers.
- Put a small dollop of the buttercream on a serving plate or board (this will help the cake stick and not slide around). Place the first layer of cake on top. Pipe a thick border of buttercream around the top of the cake layer. Spoon or pipe some of the corn pastry cream in the middle, spreading to the buttercream wall you piped. Repeat with remaining layers until you place the last layer on top.
- Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of the buttercream to create a crumb coat to seal in any crumbs. Freeze for 5-10 minutes to seal this coating.
- When the crumb coat is set, pipe or dollop more frosting around the outside and on top. Spread evenly with an offset spatula before scraping down the outside with a bench scraper. You may need to do this several times to get a smooth look.
- I found that keeping the bench scraper in a bowl of warm water before using it (drying it off in between) helped remove air bubbles on the outside and made smoothing even easier. If you need a visual on how to frost a cake, check out this video.
- Garnish with fresh flowers and corn kernels, if desired.
Very good cake, not too sweet which I prefer. Not sure if it was my corn but I didn’t get much of a corn flavor, still quite tasty regardless. Would revisit this recipe.
Thank you so much for trying my recipe! I will update the recipe to call for "darker yellow corn", which I found has more of an intense corn flavor than lighter varieties. Thanks again and happy baking!