Delightful Cornflake Crunch Cake Ultimate

This vanilla cake with cornflake crunch brings together soft, buttery cake with an amazingly crisp topping that turns golden-brown while baking. The mix of tender cake underneath and snappy cornflakes on top creates a mouthwatering combo that makes this treat stand out from regular cakes.

I whipped this up for a block party when I needed something fast but impressive. When my empty dish came back home, I knew I'd found a winner—now it's a family must-have that shows up in my kitchen twice monthly without fail.

Ingredients

• All purpose flour: gives your cake just the right structure and softness
• Granulated sugar: adds the perfect level of sweetness to the base
• Unsalted butter: brings a wonderful richness and soft texture
• Milk: keeps everything moist and tender throughout
• Large eggs: hold everything together and help the cake rise properly
• Baking powder: makes sure your cake gets nice and fluffy
• Salt: brings out every flavor and cuts through sweetness
• Vanilla extract: adds that cozy, homey taste to the cake base
• Cornflakes: deliver that unmistakable crunch try to get fresh ones that aren't broken
• Brown sugar: turns golden and sticky around the cornflakes while baking
• Cinnamon: you can skip it, but it adds a lovely warm flavor that works magic with the cornflakes

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan:

Get your oven going at 350°F and grease your pan completely. Don't forget those tricky corners. I always put parchment on the bottom too—it'll save you headaches when it's time to serve.

Mix Dry Ingredients:

Stir flour, baking powder and salt together really well. This spreads out the rising agents so your cake puffs up evenly. Take about half a minute on this step for best results.

Cream Butter and Sugar:

Beat your soft butter with granulated sugar for 3-4 minutes until it looks much paler and fluffier. This puts air bubbles in your mix that'll make your finished cake super soft.

Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla:

Put in eggs one at a time, beating about 30 seconds after each one. This slow approach keeps your batter smooth. After all eggs are in, add vanilla and mix until everything looks shiny and well-combined.

Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures:

Add your flour mix in three batches, putting milk in between. Start and finish with flour. Mix just until things disappear—about 15 seconds each time. Too much mixing now will make your cake tough.

Create Topping:

Mix cornflakes with brown sugar and cinnamon by gently folding instead of stirring hard so the flakes stay whole. The sugar will get all sticky and crunchy in the oven, making an amazing contrast with the soft cake below.

Assemble and Bake:

Dump your batter in the pan and smooth it flat. Sprinkle cornflake mix all over the top, then press down slightly so it sticks. Bake until you can stick a toothpick in the middle and pull it out clean.

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That cornflake topping is what really makes this cake special to me. It always brings back memories of my grandma's cereal milk treats from my childhood. She always let me squish the cornflakes in my hands before we added them to the sugar mix.

Make Ahead and Storage

This cake actually tastes better after it sits for a few hours as the flavors mix together. If you're making it early, just keep it covered on your counter for up to three days. The top won't stay quite as crunchy over time, but the taste actually gets better as the cornflakes soak up a bit of moisture from the cake. If you want to keep it longer, wrap single slices tightly and stick them in the freezer for up to two months. Let them warm up on the counter for about an hour before eating.

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Perfect Variations

You can easily change up this basic cake in lots of ways. Try adding some lemon zest in the batter for a fresh twist, or toss in half a cup of blueberries before baking. For something sweeter, drizzle some simple powdered sugar glaze on top after it cools. You can also swap out cornflakes for Rice Krispies or Frosted Flakes to get different crunch levels and sweetness.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy it a bit warm with some vanilla ice cream for a fantastic dessert. At brunch, put some fresh berries and whipped cream alongside it. This cake also goes great with an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. When company's coming, dust a little powdered sugar on top right before serving to make it look fancy and show off the crunchy cornflake layer on top.

Common Recipe Questions

→ Can I use margarine instead of butter?

You can swap in margarine but butter really makes the flavor pop in this cake.

→ What type of flour should I use?

Grab some all-purpose flour for this cake as it gives just the right texture.

→ Can I make the topping ahead of time?

You can mix up the cornflake topping a day early and just keep it in a sealed container until needed.

→ How can I prevent the topping from burning?

Just gently push the topping into the batter and watch the cake carefully during the final minutes in the oven.

→ Can I add other spices to the topping?

Try adding a dash of nutmeg or ginger to give your topping more warmth and flavor alongside the cornflakes.