South African mielie cake: Local flavour is always lekker

Summer is still in full-swing, giving you the opportunity to cook for your guests as they come and spend the warm and sunny days with you. But, you need great fodo to keep them there. This South African mielie cake is our version of cornbread and you can make it for more savoury dishes or enjoy it for dessert. Whether you call it mielie, corn or maize, you know that it’s in abundance in our beautiful country, so why not bake with it more than ever before.

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South African mielie cake suggestions

This mealie cake recipe is extremely versatile as you can opt for a sweet or savoury version. The ingredients listed in the ingredient list is for the sweet version. However, if you crave a savoury bite, simply omit the sugar and add onions, spices and chilli. Both versions are super appetising and will become a base for even more experimentation. The loaf is super soft on the inside and is perfect for dipping in sauces or topping with other ingredients.

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Bring some local flavour to the table this weekend with some sweet and savoury baking. Try this South African mielie cake recipe.

Last updated on 18 January 2024

South African mielie cake recipe

3 from 6 votes

Recipe by Gary Dunn Course: SnacksCuisine: South AfricanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

1

loaf

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• 150 g 150 soft butter

• ½ cup ½ sugar

• 3 3 eggs

• 5 ml 5 vanilla essence

• 4 4 mealies (corn)

• ½ cup ½ flour

• 3 tsp 3 baking powder

• ¼ tsp ¼ salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until pale in colour.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beat well after each addition.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
• Depending on the shape you prefer, you can bake it in a cake tin or a loaf tin.
• Grease well and pour in the mixture.
• Bake for 45 minutes.

Notes

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