New England Spider Cake
Author Notes: This is a two-bowl, all-of-the-ingredients-are-already-in-your-pantry sort of cake. It belongs on your post-holiday brunch table -- and not only because you can make it at 8 A.M. on December 26. Throw together the batter when you realize you spent so much time fussing over holiday meals that you forgot about feeding your guests the next day. It will slow your mind -- anxious from dolling up pretty candies -- and your body -- strung-out from digesting sugary treat after sugary treat -- but it's not so virtuous as to be annoying.
This recipe comes from Jonathan Reynolds at the New York Times (http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8108-new-england-spider-cake). —Sarah Jampel
Serves 8
- 2 cups milk
- 4 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Maple syrup, for serving
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Combine the milk and vinegar in a bowl and set aside to sour (wait 5 to 10 minutes -- you'll see the milk get lumpy).
- In another bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Whisk eggs into the soured milk. Stir into dry ingredients and set batter aside.
- Melt butter in a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour in the batter. Pour cream into center, then slide the skillet into the oven and bake until golden brown on top, about 45 minutes.
- Slice into wedges and serve warm, with maple syrup if you'd like.
- This recipe is a Community Pick!
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6 months ago Crystal Hall
I wish the instructions were clearer about the middle part being normally jiggly. I only found out when I went to the NYT original recipe and a commenter mentioned that. I added an extra ten minutes and I finally took it out. The outside was a bit too brown -- the part that touched my cast iron pan. The middle was jigglier than the pics. But it was good. I think I would decrease the sugar next time.
8 months ago jungli_beleza
So delicious! I had to make some variations because of pantry & dietary reasons but I can't wait to try it as is next time. I used aquafaba instead of eggs, and pureed canned creamed corn because i didn't have any cream. and it's still so yummy and i'm sure it's going to be oh so good with the cream filling, too. maple syrup on top of course (used less sugar because of this plus the canned corn is already sweet :).
8 months ago Archibald Katz
Just made this for the first time tonight since I had milk I needed to use up. Oh man, so good! Thing is, I didn't have heavy cream, but I DID have strawberry-banana drinkable yogurt. Dropped that in instead and BOOM, amazing. I think I would rather use the yogurt than cream in the future as well.
8 months ago Tara chamot
Now that's an idea worth trying! Make this all the time & can't wait to try this variation:)
8 months ago Jeffrey Bowen
I make this last weekend. It was OK don't know if I'll make it again.
10 months ago cpc
@Lisa Hill, I would recommend refrigeration. This isn't really a display sort of cake. It is good though.
10 months ago Lisa Hill
I'm eager to try this recipe. Any comments on storage? Does it need to be refrigerated or can i leave it in display in my fabulous covered cake stand?
10 months ago Linda
What kind of pan can you substitute for the cast iron one?
10 months ago Sarah Jampel
Sarah is Food52's senior staff writer & stylist.
You can use a regular 10- or 12-inch cake pan. If it's not stovetop-safe, just melt the butter in a small pot and pour it into the pan. The results might not be quite as crispy because the cake pan will conduct heat a bit differently, but it should still be delicious!
11 months ago Eva
Isn't this the same as the Custard-Filled Cornbread in Marion Cunningham's 'The Breakfast Book'? (photos and recipe here on Lottie + Doof: http://www.lottieanddoof...) I've made it many times, and it's wonderful... but I think the recipe is identical, no?
11 months ago Bridget
This recipe seems to be a good bit sweeter than that one (3/4 cup sugar vs. 3 tbsp in the recipe you linked). Also, this recipe requires souring the milk before combing with other ingredients.
12 months ago mayte
Does anyone have thoughts on how to make a gluten free version?
12 months ago Natalie R.
Since it's essentially decadent cornbread, I would use flour combinations from any gluten free cornbread recipe that looks somewhat fluffy. I looked around, and most appear to use a gluten free all-purpose blend in place of the all-purpose flour. One used half white rice flour, half sweet white rice flour (mochiko), and some xanthan gum.
12 months ago mayte
Thanks Natalie R!
12 months ago Natalie R.
Easy recipe, even for a first time attempt! It came together last minute indeed. I used cider vinegar because my white vinegar is for cleaning and is stored with harsh chemicals, but I followed the recipe exactly after that (even used the same cast iron skillet, from the looks of it). The two tablespoons of butter was an estimate. I think you can easily use less, since its for coating your pan, if your skillet is well seasoned.
Remember to make sure you can finish the cake or you have enough storage containers! I barely had enough. Don't store it in your cast iron since that can hurt the seasoning.
over 1 year ago mayte
Does anyone know if you can use coarse cornmeal or must it be fine?
over 1 year ago mrslarkin
I've used both. It's a little more crunchy with the coarse cornmeal. Both delicious.
over 1 year ago EL
I was stalked by this recipe and finally made it from another site (where they call for fresh berries and buttermilk). I happen to like the fresh berries but did think that the cake as stated on that website needed more sugar and also more eggs (they called for 2 Tbsp. honey and 1 egg, but it appears to be half this recipe so maybe that is actually accurate). I've now made it twice and really like it with the berries. I do think that I would use a bit more sugar .
over 1 year ago Kerry Grisley
Yummy! SO glad I had a cup of cream I needed to use up. Lovely with maple syrup.
over 1 year ago Jellly
This is fantastic as is. I did have to warm my milk-vinegar mixture slightly to get it to cuddle, but so delicious and quick to put together.
over 1 year ago Rebecca Leon
I have this in my oven right now. I too think the batter is thin, but based on your comment I have faith it will work out.
over 1 year ago Jazzymom
I never can understand why people feel a need to tweak a recipe before trying it as written...makes no sense trying to improve upon something one has never tasted!
over 1 year ago Susan W
Susan W is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Amen sista!!
over 1 year ago lsm
I just made this cake/cornbread. I am amazed and dazed!!!!!! I thought the batter was way too thin. Then pouring heavy cream on top?????? Well, I was completely surprised. I did replace a quarter cup of sugar with brown sugar. And all I had was white corn meal mix. But with all that the corn bread turned out amazing. Thank you very much for a very pleasant surprise.
over 1 year ago Susan W
Susan W is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I kind of like the idea of the brown sugar. I've probably made this cake 6 (or 10) times and haven't wanted to change a thing, but using some brown sugar sounds genius.
over 1 year ago Rebecca Leon
I have this in my oven right now. I too think the batter is thin, but based on your comment I have faith it will work out.
over 1 year ago Lula Porter
Leave it to a D*** Yankee to claim they invented cornbread. What? Your local grocery doesn't have buttermilk (milk plus vinegar)? Then just use milk and sour cream. My Daddy used THREE eggs and no self respecting Southerner would ever add sugar... though I have been guilty as charged. I place my skillet in the oven and mix the ingredients while both oven and skillet heat up. But don't put the butter in the oven to heat. Mine always turns out better when the batter rests at least ten minutes. Got to try the cream in the middle trick. Another trick is to dissolve the soda in a little water before you add it to the batter.
over 1 year ago Kat
Deep breaths... Just so you know, I'm a ninth generation Southerner from the DEEP South and we add sugar to our cornbread and every other Southerner I know does, too. With the exception of my 90 year old diabetic friend. Also, this isn't cornbread, not even close. The texture is different, the flavor is different although there are some similarities. They don't claim that it's cornbread and it's not. We know it's not and they may have taken a cornbread recipe and tinkered around with it but that's a part of the beauty of the culinary arts. Let them have this and we can have our cornbread. :)
over 1 year ago Kat
Whoops, ignore my previous comment, I was reading another recipe and when I went to check out the comments, it somehow diverted to the comments on THIS recipe...not sure why.
over 1 year ago MarieH
Lula, try it the way it is written.......fabulous. It does not need to be tweaked.
over 1 year ago Susan W
Susan W is a trusted source on General Cooking.
This is a great recipe and doesn't and shouldn't be changed. I actually tried it with buttermilk and while it was good, it wasn't as good. I don't consider this cornbread like you'd serve with chili. I consider it a dessert or a lovely brunch dish.
over 1 year ago mrslarkin
This is delicious. Mine came out more like a polenta pudding, probably because I used a 9 1/2 inch cake pan. I baked mine for an additional 10 - 15 minutes. It was very jiggly, but firmed up a little more as it cooled. The perfect breakfast. Thanks, Sarah!
over 2 years ago MarieH
Absolutely love this recipe. Excellent with maple syrup as suggested and a little fresh fruit. Best when freshly baked and cooled just a little. I put it in the oven as we sit down to eat. One of my go to desserts!
Showing 33 out of 93 comments