This lemon cornmeal cake gets soaked in a tangy lemon glaze while it’s still warm. A crushed blueberry sauce goes on top for a sweet, juicy finish.
Not Your Average Lemon Cornmeal Cake (In a Good Way)
I make this lemon cornmeal cake with just a couple of bowls, a whisk, and no mixer. The batter gets folded together by hand and baked until the top is set and the edges pull slightly from the pan. As soon as it’s out of the oven, it’s glazed with a lemon icing that settles right into the warm surface.
The blueberry sauce is cooked down until the berries are soft and the liquid thickens, then I stir in a handful of fresh ones and press them lightly so they break just enough. It’s sweet, a little tart, and a good contrast to the cake.
I usually let the cake cool right on the rack after glazing, then spoon the sauce over each slice as I serve it. Nothing complicated, just a mix of bright lemon and blueberry with a bit of texture from the cornmeal. It’s so good!
Why I Love This Recipe
- The lemon glaze sets into a soft shell on top, which gives each bite a little tangy snap.
- It’s easy to pull off without dragging every tool out of the kitchen.
- The sauce works just as well on yogurt or pancakes if you’ve got extra.
Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this lemon cornmeal cake and the blueberry topping—it’s all pretty simple stuff:
- All-purpose flour – The main structure for the cake, keeps the crumb tender.
- Cornmeal – Adds texture and a subtle corn flavor that makes this cake stand out.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake and balances the lemon.
- Baking powder – Makes the cake rise and stay fluffy.
- Salt – Boosts the overall flavor in both the cake and blueberry sauce.
- Buttermilk – Adds moisture and a bit of tang that works great with lemon.
- Eggs – Hold the cake together and add richness.
- Lemon zest – Brings a punch of lemony flavor to both the cake and the sauce.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a little warmth and depth to the cake.
- Melted unsalted butter – Keeps the cake moist and adds buttery flavor.
- Confectioners’ sugar – Used for the glaze; makes it smooth and easy to spread.
- Fresh lemon juice – Sharpens the glaze and brightens the blueberry sauce.
- Fresh or frozen blueberries – The base of the sauce—juicy, sweet, and just a little tart.
- Light brown sugar – Sweetens the sauce with a hint of caramel flavor.
How to Make Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Glaze and a Crushed Blueberry Sauce
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Step One (prep your pan and oven):
Move the oven rack to the center and preheat to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan (the kind with 2-inch high sides works best), then line the bottom with parchment so nothing sticks. - Step Two (mix the dry and wet stuff):
Grab a big bowl and whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. - Step Three (combine without overmixing):
Pour the buttermilk mixture and melted butter into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold it all together. Don’t stir too hard—you want to keep it light, and it’s okay if the batter looks a little lumpy. Scrape it into the cake pan and spread it out evenly. - Step Four (bake the cake):
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean and the edges start to pull away from the sides. While that’s in the oven, you can make the glaze. - Step Five (make the lemon glaze):
Stir together the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. It should be smooth and kind of thick, like paste. If it’s too thick to spread, add lemon juice a little at a time (like 1/2 teaspoon). But don’t thin it out too much—you want it thick enough to stay put when it hits the warm cake. - Step Six (flip the cake and glaze it while hot):
When the cake’s out of the oven, run a knife around the edge to loosen it. Set a cooling rack on top, use oven mitts to hold everything in place, and flip it over. Lift off the pan, then flip the cake again with another rack so it ends up top side up. Give the glaze a stir, then spoon it over the cake while it’s still hot. Spread it to about 1/2 inch from the edges. Some of it might drip down the sides—that’s fine. Let the cake cool completely. - Step Seven (make the blueberry sauce):
In a medium saucepan, toss in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries, brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium, stirring now and then, until the sugar melts and the mixture starts to bubble—about 7 minutes. - Step Eight (finish the sauce):
Turn the heat to medium-low and let it simmer another 7 minutes or so, until the berries are super soft and the sauce looks syrupy. Take it off the heat and stir in the rest of the blueberries. Gently press a few against the side of the pan with a spoon to lightly crush them.
Recipe Tips
Here are a few things to keep in mind while you’re making this lemon cornmeal cake:
- Don’t worry if the batter looks a little lumpy—fold gently and stop once everything’s just combined.
- Let the cake sit for a minute after glazing so it can soak in without sliding off.
- If your blueberries are especially tart, you can add a touch more brown sugar to the sauce.
- Use a light hand with the zest—too much can overpower the lemon juice.
- If your cake pan is on the shallow side, place it on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
- The blueberry sauce thickens more as it cools, so don’t worry if it looks a little runny while warm.
- A serrated knife works best for slicing once the glaze has set.
Storage and Freezing
Here’s how I usually deal with leftovers, storage, and freezing for this cake and sauce:
- Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge if your kitchen runs warm.
- The blueberry sauce should be kept in the fridge and will hold up for about 4 days.
- You can freeze slices of the glazed cake—just wrap tightly in plastic and foil. Thaw at room temp.
- I don’t recommend freezing the blueberry sauce—it changes texture once thawed.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use medium or coarse cornmeal instead of fine? You can, but it will change the texture. Fine cornmeal gives a softer bite, while coarser grinds will make the cake a little grittier and more rustic. If you’re not sure, go with fine for the first time.
- What if I don’t have buttermilk? You can make a quick substitute with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar plus enough milk to make 3/4 cup. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes before using. It won’t be quite as rich, but it works.
- Can I use a different pan size? An 8-inch pan will make the cake slightly taller and may need a few extra minutes to bake. A 9×13 is too big unless you double the recipe. You want something smaller and with higher sides.
- Do I have to invert the cake twice? No, but flipping it again helps keep the top smooth and avoids rack marks. If you don’t care about that, you can leave it upside down or just flip once.
- Is there a way to make the glaze thinner without losing the flavor? Use warm lemon juice instead of cold—it thins the glaze slightly without needing extra liquid. Just don’t overdo it or it’ll run right off the cake.
- Can I use frozen blueberries for the sauce without thawing them first? Yes, toss them straight into the pan. The sauce might take a minute or two longer to come to a simmer, but it works just fine.
- Can I skip the sauce and just serve the cake on its own? Definitely. The cake holds up well without it, especially with the lemon glaze. You could also serve it with whipped cream or yogurt if you want something simpler.
More Ways to Use Up Lemons, Blueberries, or That Bag of Cornmeal
Here are a few more recipe ideas that incorporate lemon, blueberry and cornmeal in various ways.
- Blueberry Lemon Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Cake Mix Cookies
- Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
- Lemon Blueberry Crumble Bars
- Blueberry-Lemon Oatmeal Bars
- Cornmeal-Blueberry Drop Scones
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Lemon Cornmeal Cake
Lemon Cornmeal Cake with Lemon Glaze and Crushed Blueberry Sauce is a simple dessert made by hand and finished with a tangy glaze and sweet, fruity topping.
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 395kcal
Equipment
- 9-inch Parchment Rounds Keeps the cake from sticking.
- measuring cups and spoons For accurate measuring.
- mixing bowls For combining ingredients.
- Citrus Juicer Extracts lemon juice.
- Zester Removes lemon zest.
- whisk Blends wet and dry ingredients.
- 9-inch cake pan Bakes the cake.
- Cooling Racks Cools the cake evenly.
- Saucepan Cooks the blueberry sauce.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3-1/2 tsps. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. table salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp. lemon zest
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted, cooled
Glaze:
- 1-1/2 cups packed confectioners' sugar
- 2 tbsps. (or more if needed) fresh lemon juice
Blueberry Sauce:
- 3 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries divided
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tsps. fresh lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter a 9″ diameter cake pan with 2″ high sides and line the bottom with parchment.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Pour the buttermilk mixture and melted butter into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the liquids into the flour mixture until just combined—don’t stir. The batter will be lumpy. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 3-1/2 tsps. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. table salt, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 tbsp. lemon zest, 3/4 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Bake the cake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake pulls slightly away from the sides of the pan, 25–30 minutes.
- While the cake bakes, make the lemon glaze. In a small bowl, stir together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth and paste-like. If the glaze is too thick to spread, add lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time. (Thick is good—it’ll be going on a hot cake, and you don’t want it to slide off.)1-1/2 cups packed confectioners' sugar, 2 tbsps. (or more if needed) fresh lemon juice
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, run a knife around the edges. Place a cooling rack on top of the pan. Using oven mitts, hold the pan and rack together and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the pan. Place a second rack on the bottom of the cake and invert one more time so it’s top side up.
- Give the glaze a quick stir. While the cake is still very hot, drop spoonfuls of glaze over the top and spread it to within 1/2" of the edges. Some of the glaze may drip down the sides. Let the cake cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, make the blueberry sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries with the brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer, about 7 minutes.3 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries, 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 2 tsps. fresh lemon juice, pinch of salt
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the berries are very soft and the liquid is syrupy, stirring often, about 7 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining blueberries. Use the back of a spoon to gently press some of the berries against the side of the pan to lightly crush them.
- The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead—cover and chill. Serve chilled or rewarm before serving.
Notes
For optimal outcomes when preparing this lemon cornmeal cake, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.
The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.
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Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Lemon Cornmeal Cake
Amount Per Serving (171 g)
Calories 395
Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 6.3g39%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.7g
Monounsaturated Fat 3.2g
Cholesterol 63mg21%
Sodium 341mg15%
Potassium 130mg4%
Carbohydrates 72g24%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 52g58%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 98IU2%
Vitamin C 8.3mg10%
Calcium 138mg14%
Iron 1.5mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Nisha says
This turned out amazing. Every bite was magical.