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If you’ve ever tasted Pastel de Elote, you know it’s more than just a cake—it’s a story baked into every slice. Sweet, moist, and rich with the flavor of fresh corn.

This easy corn cake recipe only uses 8 ingredients. Corn cake, also known as pastel de elote, is made with ingredients such as fresh corn, eggs, flour, vanilla extract, cream cheese, baking powder, and a bit more.

And for a little twist, I added cream cheese to my version. It’s not traditional—the original recipe does not include it—but I find it gives the cake a richer flavour and smoother texture. Consider it my “jazzed up” pastel de elote.

Pastel de Elote: Mexico’s Beloved Corn Cake

If you’ve ever tasted Pastel de Elote, you know it’s more than just a cake—it’s a story baked into every slice. Sweet, moist, and rich with the flavour of fresh corn, this dessert is a perfect example of how Mexico’s culinary traditions blend indigenous roots with Spanish influence.

Fun Facts About Corn in Mexico

In Mexico, there are more ways to prepare corn than kernels on a cob. That’s no surprise considering the country is the birthplace of maize, believed to have been domesticated in Mesoamerica thousands of years ago.

In Mayan mythology, people were said to be created from corn.
The region of Oaxaca still has one of the world’s highest diversities of native corn species.
Corn is the base of much of the Mexican diet, especially in the form of tortillas, but its uses stretch far beyond that—including desserts like Pastel de Elote.

This corn cake is also an example of the historic merging of Spanish colonial and indigenous cuisines. Corn was plentiful, and villagers often gifted it to monks and nuns, who had access to sugar and eggs. It’s even suspected that a nun may have invented Pastel de Elote, using ingredients readily available at the time.

Why We Love This Corn Cake Recipe

There’s something magical about how Pastel de Elote balances sweet and savoury. It’s semi-sweet, never overpowering, with a moist, slightly sticky texture that feels like comfort in every bite.

Depending on how it’s prepared, the cake can range from:

Moist and dense (especially when using canned corn), to
Light and fluffy (when made with fresh kernels).

The colour can also vary depending on the type of corn used, making every cake a little bit unique.

Ingredients

Fresh corn kernels – the star of the dish, bringing natural sweetness and that unmistakable corn flavour.

Eggs – give the cake structure and help create a tender crumb.

Condensed milk – adds richness and a creamy sweetness that balances the corn.

Vanilla extract – enhances the flavour with a warm, aromatic note.

Plain flour – provides body and lightness to the cake.

Baking powder – helps the cake rise for a soft, fluffy texture.

Milk – just a splash to loosen the batter and ensure moisture.

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Mexican Corn Cake with Cream Cheese

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Prep Time 7

Cook Time 40

Servings: 8 people

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

2 cups fresh corn kernels from about 3–4 cobs, or use canned/drained
3 large eggs room temperature
½ can sweetened condensed milk 7 oz / 200 g
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ cup whole milk
100 g cream cheese cut into thin slices for layering

Equipment

highspeed blender

Method

Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or loaf pan.
In a blender, add corn kernels, eggs, condensed milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder, and milk.
Blend until smooth and creamy (some small corn bits are fine for texture).
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the cream cheese slices evenly on top of this first layer. Pour the remaining batter on top, covering the cream cheese completely.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the edge comes out mostly clean.
(Note: The center where the cream cheese sits will remain softer.)
Let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing, so the cream cheese filling sets slightly.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with optional extra condensed milk drizzled on top.