corny coconut corn cake

We ran out of bread yesterday and I forgot to stop by Whole Foods to get some more on my way home. By the time I did get home, I didn’t want to go out again for anything! We’d have been forced to have oatmeal for breakie the next day. But Steven is constantly driving me crazy with complaints about oatmeal! When will he ever learn?!

Sometimes when I’m feeling ambitious I end up making granola or another version that I call “wet granola” that is very popular in this household, but I was so not feeling it.

Steven suggested that I make a cake, but turns out that we used up all of the wheat flour. We did have the flocão that I purchased last time I went to Mercado Brasil, a store that sells Brazilian products in the Mission district here in San Francisco. Flocão is a sort of corn meal. It looks something like corn flakes and couscous at the same time. It is made by grinding yellow corn coarsely, soaking it in water, followed by baking and turning it into flakes by rolling a stone over it. Flocão is a staple in the north eastern part of the country where they steam and eat it much like couscous with smoldering savory or sweet sauces. It is pretty good. Another way to enjoy flocão is by turning it into a cake. And that’s what happened.

Whenever I do make cakes, I try to reproduce the ones I used to eat during my childhood. The first that I remember were baked by my mother. Later, my homemade cake memories come from inherited recipes elaborated upon by my older siblings: Pedro, Ana, Dora, Tinha and Nelson. They are all very talented cooks! Every time I am in Brazil I indulge myself with their amazing foods. Cheers to all you guys!

This cake has an intense coconut and corn flavor. It’s also very moist. I just love it.

Here’s the recipe:

Corny Coconut Corn Cake AKA Bolo de Flocão

2 cups of flocão (Brazilian coarse corn meal)
1 cup sugar
½ cup canola oil
1 & ½ cup soy milk
Pinch of salt
3 large eggs (1 yolk only)
1 cup dry grated coconut
1 tbsp baking powder

How to:

Grease baking pan (nine inch round glass dish) with canola oil and dust with flour (I used chickpea flour because we’d run out of wheat.)

Place flocão, sugar, salt, oil and one cup of milk in a pan, and cook the mixture on medium heat stirring constantly till thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it rest for about an hour or so till it has cooled completely.

Heat oven to 350F.

Add remaining soy milk, coconut and baking powder to batter. Using your electric mixer beat egg whites and one yolk for a couple of minutes till peaks form. Fold beaten egg into batter. Transfer to baking pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or till a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Towards last five minutes increase temperature to 375F to brown the top of the cake. Serve with a good cup of black coffee or tea. This is great in the morning but also is sweet enough to make a delightful dessert.