Yeasted Cornmeal Coffee Cake

In 1855, Malinda Russell, a free Black woman from Tennessee, published A Domestic Cookbook: Containing a Careful Selection of Useful Receipts for the Kitchen, the first known cookbook written by an African American. It was only a few years ago that I first learned of Russell and her extraordinary achievements, and while I was wowed by what I discovered about her, I was disappointed that it had taken me so long to find out about her in the first place. 

In hopes of giving others the opportunity to learn about Russell and her life, this Black History Month we’re celebrating the legacy of Black baking. Russell was a successful pastry chef who ran both a pastry shop and a boarding house in Tennessee as a single mother. The recipes in her cookbook cover all manner of foods, but her vast knowledge of baking is particularly on display in the book. In honor of Russell, Vallery Lomas and I decided to recreate dessert recipes from the book with our own twist on them. 

As I scrolled through the pages, I realized that while some recipes were incredibly bare-bones, the most important elements were always there. You’re able to experiment based on her instructions and your own baking know-how. I especially enjoyed looking at the vast (and I mean vast) array of cake recipes — especially when she used techniques or ingredients that I found to be unexpected. 

That was certainly the case for her coffee cake recipe. I was expecting something with lots of cinnamon and streusel, but instead, Russell’s coffee cake called for cornmeal, cooked rice, and it used yeast as the leavener. It was hard not to be intrigued by all of that! There wasn’t much by way of instructions. In fact, the recipe reads in its entirety: “Bake soft boiled rice; add twice as much flour as rice, a handful Indian meal, and a little yeast; mix overnight, and bake in the morning.” 

I decided that my version would be a yeasted cornmeal coffee cake. My mind immediately started running through calculations about what amount of rice, flour, and cornmeal to include. My aim was to make this cake taste like cornbread and baked rice pudding had a baby. In other words, I wanted this cake to be a textural paradise that would taste delicious with a cup of coffee or Earl Grey tea in the morning. Something that’s not too sweet, but sweet enough to feel like cake and not just cornbread. 

This cake reminds me that so often less truly is more in the kitchen. A Domestic Cookbook is a testament to the fact that you can make delicious sweet treats without having to use what feels like a million and one ingredients. This cake is incredibly simple to make and it relies primarily on pantry staples. My favorite part, however, is that it is an excellent way to use up that last bit of cooked rice in the fridge. Thank you to Malinda for the inspiration!