This easy cornmeal cake has a soft crumb with a hint of texture from cornmeal and a bright orange flavor. A simple dessert ready in just 10 minutes.
Cornmeal cake is one of those simple desserts that delivers so much with just a few basic ingredients.
Cornmeal, also known in Italian as farina di mais, is a common ingredient in Northern Italy’s regional cuisine.
If you've never baked with it before, you're in for a treat. It adds a delicate texture and a beautiful golden color that makes every bite a little more interesting.
In this version, I pair it with fresh orange flavor for a bright, citrusy twist that works beautifully with the subtle richness of the cake.
Another reason I love this cornmeal cake? It comes together in less than 10 minutes with just a couple of bowls-no special equipment needed.
Serve it with a dusting of icing sugar, or dress it up with a simple orange syrup and a spoonful of whipped ricotta cheese for an extra-special touch.
Here’s how to make this easy dessert!
Quick Overview
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Serving Suggestions: Serve this cornmeal cake with a light dusting of icing sugar for a simple finish. For something a little extra, drizzle with orange syrup and top with a spoonful of whipped ricotta. It's perfect with an afternoon coffee or as a light dessert after dinner.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190°C). Grease and flour (or use non-stick spray) in an 8-inch springform pan. Set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, sift or whisk together 1¼ cups of all-purpose flour (175 grams), ½ cup of cornmeal (fine or medium), 2 teaspoons of baking powder and ½ teaspoon of salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 eggs with ½ cup of sugar. Add 6 tablespoons of olive oil (regular), the zest of one organic orange, and ½ cup of orange juice. Whisk to combine properly together.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine with a wooden or rubber spoon. Do not over-mix.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
As an optional step, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of turbinado (or raw) sugar.
Bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean and the cake is firm around the edges.
Remove the cake from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. It should cool for about 15 minutes before releasing it from the springform pan. Allow it to cool completely before garnishing.
Tips
- Sifting the dry ingredients together will allow for better distribution of all the individual ingredients throughout the dry mixture. The process also aerates the dry ingredients, making the final product lighter in texture.
- Do not overmix the batter, as this will result in a tough cake.
- Use light olive oil. Although extra virgin olive oil can be used, the taste can be overpowering in this citrus-flavored cake.
- Do not overbake this cake, as it will turn out dry. Use a cake tester to check for doneness. Other signs of doneness include firmness around the edges and the cake beginning to pull away from the sides.
- This cake is best served the day it is made.
FAQ
Cornmeal adds a delicate texture and a subtle nutty flavor to cakes. It creates a slightly more rustic crumb compared to cakes made with only flour.
Fine or medium cornmeal works best for cakes. Coarse cornmeal can make the texture too gritty.
You can garnish this dessert with a dusting of icing sugar or, if you prefer, make a syrup. A dollop of whipped ricotta, a teaspoon of citrus syrup, a thin slice of orange, and a sprig of mint provide the perfect garnish.
Whisk together 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice with ½ cup of sugar in a small saucepan. Add thin slices of the rind, preferably organic. Place over low heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the sauce/syrup thickens. Quickly brush over the cake top and serve immediately.Â
Yes, it freezes wonderfully without any icing. Wrap it in plastic film. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator when needed.Â
Easy Orange Baked Goods We Love
I love baking with fresh orange-it adds such a bright, fresh flavor. Here are a few of my favorite orange baked goods you might enjoy.
Recipe Origins
I’ve always been a fan of Martha Stewart, even holding subscriptions to both her Living and Food magazines for nearly a decade.
Her ingenious incorporation of cornmeal into an orange cake recipe piqued my interest.
As I prefer desserts with a less sweet taste, I made some adjustments, such as halving the amount of sugar and using less oil.
The result?
A delightful Orange Cornmeal Cake that’s perfect for any occasion. Whether enjoyed alongside your morning cup of coffee or as a delightful accompaniment to afternoon tea, this cake satisfies your cravings without overwhelming your palate.
Enjoy!
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★★★★★ If you have made this orange juice cornmeal cake, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Cornmeal Cake with Orange (Easy Italian Recipe)
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Ingredients
- 1¼ cups flour 175 grams, all-purpose
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal fine or medium
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons olive oil light or vegetable oil
- 1 whole orange zest organic
- ½ cup orange juice room temperature
Optional garnish:
- 1 tablespoon turbinado (or raw) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375℉ (190°C).
- Grease and flour (or use non-stick spray) an 8-inch springform pan. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, sift or whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs with the sugar for 1-2 minutes.
- To this, add the oil, orange zest, and orange juice. Whisk to combine properly together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine with a wooden or rubber spoon. Do not over mix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- As an optional step, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of turbinado (or raw) sugar.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Transfer the cake to a rack where it can cool down for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
Video
Notes
- Sifting the dry ingredients together will allow for better distribution of all the individual ingredients throughout the dry mixture. The process also aerates the dry ingredients making the final product lighter in texture.
- Do not overmix the batter as this will result in a tough cake.Â
- Use light olive oil. Although extra virgin olive oil can be used, the taste can be overpowering in this orange-flavored cake.Â
- Do not overbake this cake as it will turn out dry. Use a cake tester to check for doneness. Other signs of doneness include firmness around the edges and the cake beginning to pull away from the sides.Â
- This cake is best served the day it is made.Â
Nutrition
I originally published this post on October 27, 2020, and republished it on April 11, 2024, and again on April 13, 2026, with updated content. Thanks for sharing.
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Catherine Mori
Just back from Rome and feeling Romesick…so I’ve just made this cake and am eating it with a cappuccino! Grazie mille, Cara Maria!
Maria
What a beautiful way to enjoy this cornmeal cake Catherine! You’ve created your own little Roman café right at home. I’m so happy the recipe helped ease your nostalgia. Grazie mille to you for the lovely note!
Mary
Love your recipes and how you present them. I look forward to them!
Maria
Thank you so much for your kind words Mary 🙂
Ada
Ciao Maria thank you so much for your cornmeal recipe I made it today and it’s smell so good my home smells good it is the most amazing cake it taste it’s very moist I love it thank you for much again for the recipe I will share it with my family and friends
Anna Helewka
Absolutely a fantastic cake. So pretty and fragrant and moist. Will make this over and over. When I squeezed the orange for the juice, I left most of the pulp in and it was fabulous recipe. Recipe is perfect
Thank you! Anna
Maria
Thanks so much for sharing Anna ♥
Elisa Felici
The PERFECT complement to a dinner party….light, slightly textured (I used medium cornmeal) and bright orange flavor, balanced by the cornmeal flavor. And best of all, light and not too sweet. I topped with a little whipped cream and Sicilian blood orange jam, slightly warmed. Delicious with breakfast too!
Maria
So thrilled to read this Elisa! Thanks so much for sharing!
Christina
Overall I love the idea of this recipe! I made some slight tweaks based on what I had on hand, and it resulted in a firmer cake than I would have desired for. Still, I trust and enjoy this recipe, and will try it again!
Sharing the following for anyone interested:
Used 3/4 sorghum flour 1/4 rice flour (I do wonder what regular AP would be like vs. sorghum)
Coarse/medium ground corn (would definitely use fine next time)
Coconut sugar vs regular sugar (would do again. I don’t think this impacted it much)
Used the 6 tbsp of oil. I typically reduce sugar and fat as much as possible in treats, and sometimes learn why not to (haha). I would increase the oil in this recipe to 8 tbsp and/or increase the OJ. Again, this dryness could have been in part to my flour changes.
I tried not to over bake it but it’s possible I left it in 1-2min too long.
Thank you, Maria! I still loved it and excited to try more of your recipes!
Heidi
Thank you for this lovely recipe – it’s very good. The last time I did try switching out a whole pureed orange (@187g) for half of the oil and it was very nice as well. It kept covered for more than 4 days. Thanks again, I really like your recipes and the adjustment option offered with the print version. — Heidi
Maria
My pleasure Heidi! Thanks so much for sharing and taking the time to comment. Truly appreciate it!
Val
This is such a delicious Orange Cake! Thanks for sharing Maria!
Maria
So happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for the comment Val!
Anna
Hi just wondering if can use only all purpose flour or almond flour instead of cornmeal ?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Anna. I haven’t tried but I think the almond flour would work well with this recipe. Would love to hear about your results if you do decide to try it. Have fun!