A lightened up, gluten-free, vegan, & top 8 allergy-free recipe for ‘Pastel de Elote’ Sweet Mexican Corn Cake! This traditional dessert is moist, dense, with a bread pudding like texture. Baked in a bundt pan, with fresh corn, and topped with a light glaze, this treat will be gone in a flash!
Basically, we’re talking a sweet, bread-pudding-like, super moist, Mexican-style cornbread! Using a combination of masa (corn flour) and gluten-free all purpose with real sweet yellow corn kernels, this bundt cake is super “corny”. Pastel de Elote traditionally uses tons of condensed sweetened milk, but instead this vegan, dairy-free cake uses a combo of non-dairy milk and condensed coconut milk!
What does “Pastel de Elote” mean?
The Spanish literally means “Cake of Corn”. Similarly, “Pan de Elote” is “Bread of Corn” and is a Mexican corn bread, not cake, but still a real food/recipe. We’re making a decadent and sweet cake, although much…MUCH more lightened up and healthy! Yet it’s just as sweet, moist, and delicious as a traditional version. This version I’m giving you today would totally work as a sweet breakfast or brunch treat! Breakfast cake, anyone?
Typically this sweet corn cake is baked right in a normal square or round cake pan, but why not make it a little more special and bake it in a bundt pan? Any time you bake a cake in a bundt pan, you automatically raise the “fancy and beautiful” factor of your dessert! No fancy cake decorating skills required when the outline of the bundt pan does the work for you! Have no fear, if you don’t have a small bundt pan (double the recipe for a full size bundt), you can bake this Mexican corn cake in a small standard cake pan or loaf pan instead.
So what is the texture like in this sweet Mexican corn cake?
Have you ever had spoon bread or bread pudding? It takes some properties of both and fuses them into a cake. This sweet corn cake has enough structure though to hold up as a bundt cake, yet it’s still super moist, soft, dense, and spoon or fork “able”. Eat it with a spoon or fork (put a big slice in a bowl if you opt for a spoon) and you’re good to go either way! But what adds to the “spoonability” is the delicious simple glaze you’ll be pouring over this bundt! I used a mixture of powdered erythritol and some vegan honey. Having that glaze soak into the cake made it even more moist, more sweet and delicious!
Of course, one of the best parts about this corn cake is the actual pops of sweet yellow corn kernels prolifically strewn throughout! I am a loud and proud lover of corn, from my obsession with canned to deliciously sweet fresh New Jersey summer corn. Depending on the season you can use fresh corn on the cob (heated in the microwave and kernels removed) or use canned, frozen (and defrosted), etc. You’ll see just how easy this recipe is in all it’s healthified, gluten-free, vegan, glory!
Gluten-Free ‘Pastel de Elote’ Sweet Mexican Corn Cake
Gluten-Free ‘Pastel de Elote’ Sweet Mexican Corn Cake (Vegan, Allergy-Free)
A lightened up, gluten-free, vegan, & top 8 allergy-free recipe for ‘Pastel de Elote’ Sweet Mexican Corn Cake! This traditional dessert is moist, dense, with a bread pudding like texture. Baked in a bundt pan, with fresh corn, and topped with a light glaze, this treat will be gone in a flash!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 1 Cake 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Masa Harina (Corn Flour)
- 1 Cup Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 Cup Erythritol (or preferred granulated sweetener)
- 1 Cup Sweet Yellow Corn
- 1 Prepared Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacement
- 3/4 Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk*
- 1/4 Cup Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk
- 1/2 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- For the “Honey Glaze”:
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Erythritol (or preferred powdered sugar)
- 2 TB Vegan Honey (or real pure honey)
- 3 Tsp Water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and baking powder and whisk together.
- Now add the rest of the cake ingredients and mix together to form a smooth, thick cake batter.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased 3-cup bundt pan** and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes.
- While the cake is baking, prepare the glaze by simply mixing the 3 ingredients together.
- Allow the baked cake to cool for a bit in the pan before inverting onto a wire rack to completely cool.
- Once the cake has cooled, drizzle on the glaze. Save some glaze for serving!
- Pro tip: This cake tastes amazing once chilled in the fridge!
Notes
*You can leave out the vegan condensed milk and just use 1 Cup of unsweetened non-dairy milk if you do not have access to vegan condensed milk and the cake will be just fine!
**You can double the recipe to fill a full-size bundt pan or just use a small loaf, square, or circle cake pan for the 3 cup recipe.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Slice
So after you’ve had a delicious dinner of some gluten-free tamales, maybe this sweet Mexican corn cake will be the perfect way to round-out your very corny feast! But if you can’t wait until after dinner, breakfast or brunch is still an open option and the perfect addition to something savory…
So tell me:
+ Have you ever had (or even heard of) Pastel de Elote?
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EL Mehdi says
November 27, 2018 at 10:32 amI’m going to give this a try this upcoming weekend even thou I’m a little bit scared since it will be my first time to try this recipe. I hope I can make it looks as great as yours
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
November 27, 2018 at 11:37 amIsn’t every time you try a new recipe, the first time?
EL Mehdi says
November 27, 2018 at 12:50 pmYup that’s true, It just that I’ll be making it for my family xD and you know the pressure when people try out your cooking ^^
Fabiola Rodriguez says
September 10, 2018 at 2:33 pmI love pastel de elote! I have a recipe for it (here in Mexico, everyone does lol) but it’s certainly not vegan or gluten-free, so this is a great option.
Pinning and tweeting this!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 10, 2018 at 2:47 pmHaha, right! Well now everyone can enjoy the classic!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
September 9, 2018 at 10:03 amI have had sweet corn tamales before but this looks so much easier and just as tasty! I would be honored if you would share this at our What’s for Dinner party! http://www.lazygastronome.com/whats-for-dinner-sunday-link-up-165/
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 9, 2018 at 11:51 amLol, well tamales are 100% different from this cake!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
September 8, 2018 at 8:40 pmThis looks super interesting!! My mom used to put corn in all sorts of desserts, maybe because Filipino food has so many similarities to Mexican food.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 9, 2018 at 6:50 amI’d assume so!
Jersey Girl Cooks says
September 5, 2018 at 8:42 amThis looks and sounds delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 5, 2018 at 1:12 pmThank you so much!
Erica D Ardali says
September 4, 2018 at 7:30 pmI have never heard of this but boy do I want to try it!!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 5, 2018 at 7:51 amAll the more reason to get baking!
emman damian says
September 4, 2018 at 6:03 pmThat looks so good and so yummy! I like it because it is gluten free!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 5, 2018 at 7:51 amGlad you think so!
Briana says
September 4, 2018 at 3:09 pmI’ve never tried this, but it seriously looks awesome!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 5:15 pmThank you, enjoy!
shelby says
September 4, 2018 at 11:34 amI love a sweeter cornbread/muffin so I’m pretty sure I would love this recipe. Can’t wait to give it a try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 2:21 pmYes! This would be just the thing!
Marianne Blackham says
September 4, 2018 at 10:44 amThis sounds so yummy. I will have to try it.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 2:21 pmGlad to hear it! Enjoy!
Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet says
September 4, 2018 at 9:48 amSuch an interesting cake! Definitely something I would LOVE to try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 2:20 pmIf you love corn and you love cake, you’ll love this!
Carla says
September 4, 2018 at 9:37 amLooks so yummy! Added to my gluten-free vegan recipes. Thank you very much.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 2:19 pmAwesome! Let me know how you like it!
Rachel R Ritlop says
September 4, 2018 at 8:06 amAh this looks so good! I’ve definitely never tried it before! Can’t wait to try my hand at it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 2:19 pmEnjoy! It’s a delicious one to bake up!
La Shell Reid says
September 3, 2018 at 8:23 pmNever heard of this but it looks absolutely delicious! So moist!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 7:20 amYes! I’m so glad I recently heard about it and needed to make a free-from version!
Claire Saul says
September 3, 2018 at 6:28 pmThis looks great – is it plain GF flour or self raising? (assume plain as baking powder in list)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 4, 2018 at 7:17 amWe don’t have “self rising” here in the US. Follow the link and you’ll see my recommendation.
Claire Saul says
September 4, 2018 at 4:32 pmThanks Rebecca – will check out on UK Amazon! I think I have the equivalent so will give it a go!
chloe says
September 3, 2018 at 10:46 amThis cake looks so good and fluffy! Probably not too heavy to digest! I’ve saved the recipe for later
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 3, 2018 at 11:59 amIt’s a nice dense corn cake as it should be!
cait says
September 3, 2018 at 9:18 amive actually never heard of this before but it def looks delicious. i love something thats sweet and easy to make!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 3, 2018 at 11:58 amI’m sure you haven’t, it’s not very common!