El Torito Corn Cake Recipe

Corn cakes are tasty little snacks that everyone craves.

There’s just something about their fluffy, yet slightly dense texture that makes them irresistible.

Not to mention, they’re perfect for any occasion.

What if it were possible to make your own El Torito corn cakes right at home?

Well, of course, it is, and we’re here to show you how.

Better yet, they would be healthy and delicious!

Corn cakes give healthy vibes in one scoop, and you can munch on them often.

These perfect buttery flavors without actual butter and refined sugar are a combo worth trying.

They are a sweet, moist, scoop-able corn flavor with a Mexican twist spiciness.

It’s ready in just an hour.

El Torito is a chain of restaurants mostly serving Mexican cuisines.

Besides the food, the restaurant offers great ambiance and entertainment from the southern border culture.

The food and cakes are artfully prepared with the freshest ingredients and boldest flavors, resulting in a quality bite.

We mimic their corn cake recipe in this article, and you’ll drool over each scoop; ensure you follow our step-by-step guide.

Health benefits of corn in the El Torito Corn cake

●Better gut health – whole-grain corn or sweet corn produce is highly nutritional than processed white flour.

Besides improving your gut health, it lowers the chances of developing diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

●Full longer – the fiber in sweet corn makes you stay full for longer between meals, a perfect diet for those watching their weight.

The fiber also feeds healthy bacteria in your digestive tract, which helps protect against colon cancer.

●Antioxidant properties – sweet corn is rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage and ward off diseases.

●Eye health – sweet corn contains lutein carotenoids, which prevents lens damage leading to cataracts.

How to make El Torito corn cake recipe

The corn cake is moist and makes a perfect side dish.

Preparation time is about 10 minutes and 1 hour baking time.

Simple ingredients that you can easily get from your nearest store.

Use fresh items to achieve a perfect outcome, but you can also use frozen ones, ensure you thaw them first.

Let’s jump to the recipe.

Ingredients

●½ cup cornflour

●1.2 cup cornmeal

●2 cups fresh or frozen corn (thawed if frozen)

●¼ cup sugar

●¼ cup water

●3 tbsp. Milk

●½ tbsp. Baking powder

●½ cup butter, unsalted and softened

●¼ tsp. salt

Instructions for making the El Torito corn cake

●Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350⁰F

●Step 2: Beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy.

Add in the cornflour and water, and whisk until well combined.

Then set aside.

●Step 3: Pound the corn in the food processor until it’s chunky.

Pour it into the butter mixture and whisk.

●Step 4: In a separate large bowl, whip together sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.

Add in milk and stir thoroughly to combine.

●Step 5: Mix the cornmeal mixture and the butter mixture and stir until incorporated.

Pour the mixture into an ungreased baking pan.

●Step 6: Place the baking pan into a baking dish with water.

Cover the corn cake with foil.

●Step 7: Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for about an hour.

Let cool for 10 -15 minutes.

To serve, scoop each rich piece with an ice cream scoop.

How to prepare El Torito corn cake – Vegan

Ingredients:

●3 large corns, kernels removed

●2 cups masa harina flour

●1 cup coconut milk

●4 tbsp. cornmeal

●4 tbsp. vegan butter spread

●2 tbsp. vegan sour cream

●½ cup natural dry sugar

●1 tbsp. white vinegar

●1 tbsp. black pepper

●¼ cup bell pepper, diced

●2 tsp. baking powder

●1/3 cup agave syrup

●1 tsp baking soda

●1 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

●Step 1: Pound the corn kernels with a buttery spread in a food processor.

Keep a few whole corn kernels.

Pour the ground corn into a large mixing bowl.

●Step 2: Gradually add the masa harina, cornmeal, pepper, salt, dry sugar, baking powder, and soda.

Mix well until incorporated.

●Step 3: Pour in the coconut milk, sour cream vinegar, and agave syrup.

●Step 4: Fold in the remaining whole corn kernels.

Whip until the flour dissolves, and the batter is fairly thin.

●Step 5: Pour the mixture into a cake pan.

Top with melted butter, a dash of salt, and dry sugar.

●Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven at 350⁰ for 30 minutes.

Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Better scoop to serve than a slice.

Nutritional facts

Serving Size: 1 serving

●Calories 205.4

●Total Fat 9.8 g

●Saturated Fat 3.9 g (Polyunsaturated Fat 1.4 g, Monounsaturated Fat 3.6 g)

●Cholesterol 15.3 mg

●Sodium 451.3 mg

●Potassium 118.0 mg

●Total Carbohydrate 29.3 g (Dietary Fiber 1.4 g, Sugars 6.8 g)

●Protein 2.6 g

●Vitamin A 4.8 %

●Vitamin B-12 0.2 %

●Vitamin B-6 3.1 %

●Vitamin C 4.7 %

●Vitamin D 1.0 %

●Vitamin E 4.7 %

●Calcium 10.6 %

●Copper 2.4 %

●Folate   7.3 %

●Iron   5.7 %

●Magnesium 5.2 %

●Manganese 1.9 %

●Niacin   6.9 %

●Pantothenic Acid 1.6 %

●Phosphorus 8.8 %

●Riboflavin 5.0 %

●Selenium 1.8 %

●Thiamin 6.3 %

●Zinc 3.1 %

Toppings that go well with El Torito corn cake

Savory toppings

●Smoked tuna/salmon and avocado – spring water fish, is lower in calories and fats, making it the best topping.

You can tweak it by adding Greek yogurt and capers.

●Cheese and tomato – add brie as the cheese base, then top with tomatoes and chia seeds.

Thank me later.

●Scrambled eggs and ham – this thin topping will add the savory flavors to the corn cake and bliss your taste buds.

Sweet thin toppings

●Nut butter and bananas – you can’t go wrong with this topping, whether almond butter or peanut butter.

Adding a little honey and chia seeds gives that crunch and sweetness.

●Chocolate dips – simple.

Melt your favorite chocolate and spread your corn cakes with it.

●Yogurt and strawberries – this mix of strawberries and yogurt satisfy that sweet craving with an added nutritional benefit.

Dollop the yogurt on the corn cake and enjoy.

Tips to make the perfect El Torito corn cake recipe

●Low-fat content – to reduce the fat content in either recipe, use soy milk instead of coconut or regular milk.

Soy milk also helps make a lighter version of these cakes, if you like.

●Use fresh corn – you have an option of using canned or frozen corn, but the taste and the rich flavor will be compromised.

Tweak the recipe ingredients using canned or frozen corn to retain the right moisture levels.

For instance, canned corn requires less milk, while frozen corn requires less liquid.

●Use masa harina – For a perfectly dense and moist corn cake, masa harina works wonders.

It’s a fine-milled flour mostly used to make tortillas.

●Oil – avoid using olive oil as the strong flavors will be evident in the final product.

●Substitutes – use butter, honey, or yogurt instead of oil, almond milk, and maple syrup if the cake is not vegan.

You can use a sugar substitute in place of the white sugar.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is sweet corn?

Corn is a starchy vegetable that has kernels on a cob.

It’s a popular veggie in the US but contains a lot of sugars and carbs.

Sweet corn comes in yellow color and has a mild sugary taste.

You can decide to bake it as is or grind it into sweet corn flour for making tortillas and crackers.

Is the El Torito corn cake gluten-free?

No.

The ingredients in the corn cake mix are gluten-free and suitable for those with celiac disease.

However, you have to swap the toppings for your gluten-free needs.

Does sweet corn cake have any protein?

Corn contains a decent amount of protein.

The content ranges from 10 to 15%, depending on the variety.

Zeins present in corn account for 79% of the total protein source.

Is corn cake thins ideal for people on a diet?

Corn cake slices are low in fat with a 3% fat content per serving for most varieties.

Thus, an ideal main dish or snack option.

The best part is that the topping is adjustable to your preference in terms of nutrition and taste.

How do you store El Torito corn cakes?

First, wrap the corn cake with plastic wraps or foil to prevent it from drying out.

Store at room temperature for up to 3 days; this excludes corn cakes with veggies and cheese toppings.

It lasts for about 7 days in the refrigerator and up to 2 months when frozen.

How do I tell if the El Torito corn is gone bad?

You will tell a spoilt El torito in three ways:

●If it has grown molds or has weird discolorations

●When the smell turns sour

●If the texture changes from fluffy to soggy

Any of these is a sign that you need to discard your corn cake.

Recreating this scoop-able buttery corn cake from El Torito is bliss.

The ingredients are easily sourced, flavorful, and packed with health benefits.

It is a simple recipe you can mimic from scratch in your kitchen on those family occasions.

You could have it with almost anything, maybe not pasta.

But it pairs well with chili and sauces.

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