Pan de Elote (Mexican Sweet Corn Cake)

Published: Feb 19, 2019 · Updated: Nov 25, 2020 by Maggie Unzueta

There’s no wrong way to eat Pan de Elote, or Mexican Sweet Corn Cake. As a treat with your morning coffee or for dessert, every bite is absolutely delicious.

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Pan de Elote, or Mexican Sweet Corn Cake, is a moist and delicious treat. Very different from the American cornbread that we all know and love.

Save room for this yummy dessert. You will even want seconds.

Or have it for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. There’s no wrong way to eat this classic and authentic Mexican recipe.

Pan de Elote, or Mexican Sweet Corn Cake, is a moist and delicious treat. Perfect for breakfast or for dessert. Enjoy! By Mama Maggie’s Kitchen

This is ain’t Southern cornbread, ya’ll.

This is from waaaaaaay down south.

In fact, each time I see this delicious Pan de Elote, or Mexican Sweet Corn Cake, I think of my days living of in Southern Mexico.

There was a lady at the Mercado Pino Suarez in Villahermosa, Tabasco who would sell it.

She used to tell me that I looked like her daughter. Her daughter must be a looker! LOL.

From savory to sweet, we have a lot of dishes that involve corn in Mexico.

Think masa for tamales or the dough to make gorditas.

They all have corn as part of the main ingredient.

Have you ever had corn fresh off the cob? It is so super sweet. It often doesn’t need to be cooked.

Table of Contents

0.1 How to Make Pan de Elote
- 0.1.1 How to Choose Fresh Corn
  - 0.1.1.1 What if corn is not in season?
  - 0.1.1.2 How long does Pan de Elote last?
0.2 Pan de Elote (Mexican Sweet Corn Cake)

1 More Mexican Desserts

How to Make Pan de Elote

Pan de Elote, or Mexican Sweet Corn Cake, is soooo yummy!

This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In Spanish, “pan” means “bread.”

But, Pan de Elote recipes is not as dense.

Many people refer to it as “pastel,” or “cake.” You will also hear it referred to as “Pastel de Elote.”

The confusion comes from the texture. It’s very moist like what Americans think cake should be.

See all the wet ingredients we use to make it? Wetter is better.

Please know that the one in the picture only had 1 tablespoon of baking powder. I also baked it differently. (More on that later…)

Baking powder will make your Pastel de Elote poofier which is the way you will most likely find it.

The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons since that’s the way most people like it.

Another thing to note: my Pan de Elote recipe calls for evaporated milk. If you don’t have any, substitute for regular milk.

Half and half is ok, but I would not recommend using heavy whipping cream.

I also used light sweetened condensed milk. It is just as sweet.

Regular sweetened condensed milk is fine too.

I have often been accused of being a little corny. No, I didn’t major in “corn-ography” in college. 😉

Although, this is a corn-ographic picture.

To make your Pan de Elote, or Mexican Sweet Corn Cake, you need white corn.

The fresher, the better.

How to Choose Fresh Corn

Squeeze the kernels through the husk.

They should be plump.

If you feel any holes, choose another corn.

Look at the hair tassels on top. They should be brown. If they are dry and black, this is an old corn.

I will also pull back just a bit of the husk to see the inside. I look for no missing any corn kernels.

They should look round, bright, and firm.

What if corn is not in season?

If corn is not in season, you can use drained and rinsed canned corn.

Some traditionalists are frowning at me right now. Mexico is a poor country. Fresh foods can be hard to find.

However, I find frozen corn to be the easiest to use. It is not that messy. There is minimal clean up. And you can always find it at the grocery store.

Frozen corn is frozen when it is ripe and in season. Unless it was not stored properly, frozen corn is a good option.

White corn can be hard to find especially if it’s not in season. So, I am using yellow corn instead.

Remember: white is right, but yellow is mellow.

All the ingredients go into the blender. Yes, you read that right.

We use our blender for just about everything in Mexico. lol.

Some people also use pancake mix. I have never tried it using pancake mix, but I’m dying to try it out.

Next time for sure!

I baked my Pan de Elote differently.

Similar to the way that Americans make cornbread. I wanted to see what the outcome would be, and it came out great!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

I made this yummy Pan de Elote in a cast iron skillet kick.

Love that you can put it in the oven, bake it, and take it from oven to table.

Saves me time in the serving and how many dishes I have to clean.

Also, since I’m using a large skillet, it didn’t rise as much. Again, I’m ok with that.

If you use a smaller and traditional baking pan, the finished product will rise more. Also, make sure to add 2 tablespoons baking powder to get that poof-like, cake-like rise.

You can also make this recipe in a muffin tin for individual pieces.

This is a great idea for guests or if you have little ones.

Or, make Pan de Elote for a party and bake it in a bundt pan.

How long does Pan de Elote last?

At room temperature, Pan de Elote last 1-2 days, but it has to be properly stored.
Either wrap it in plastic cling wrap or place in a sealable bag.

In the fridge, if properly stored, it will last up to 1 week.

In the freezer, properly stored Pan de Elote will last up to 3 months.

This is a great treat to take to someone’s house.

Cornbread in the United States is often something you eat with your dinner. Like chili and cornbread.

Pan de Elote, however, is more of a dessert or something to eat at breakfast like a muffin.

You might see someone selling it on the street, or you might see it at a local bakery.

I love to eat it warm and with a dab of butter… Mmmmm!

Some people will drizzle it with sweetened condensed milk, powdered sugar, or honey.

You can also let it cool down and serve it cold.

With coffee in the morning or with a cup of thick and rich champurrado, this Pan de Elote, or Mexican Sweet Corn Cake, is delicious.

Hope you enjoy!

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About Maggie Unzueta

Maggie Unzueta is the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer, videographer, and creator of In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been developing easy and authentic Mexican food, Mexican-inspired recipes, and traveling tips since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.

Pan de Elote (Mexican Sweet Corn Cake)