Komal’s Pan de Elote
Known as pan de elote or pastel de elote, this sweet Mexican cornbread—some might even say corn cake—is a staple on the dessert menu at Komal in LA, one of our Best New Restaurants of 2025. Chef Fátima Juárez has built a menu around heirloom corn nixtamalized and ground in-house.
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 large ears)
- ¾ cup chilled heavy cream
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- Kosher salt
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray or room-temperature unsalted butter (for pan)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 large ears)
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled
- ¾ cup (120 g) white rice flour
- 1 Tbsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
- Blend 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 large ears) in a blender until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring glass, pressing on solids to extract as much juice as possible (you should have 1 cup); discard solids.
- Transfer corn juice to a medium nonstick skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened to the consistency of sour cream, 8–10 minutes. Scrape corn pudding into a small bowl and chill until cool, about 25 minutes.
- Whisk ¾ cup chilled heavy cream, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and a large pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl until medium peaks form (or, use an electric mixer if you prefer). Add corn pudding and fold in with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain; cover corn whipped cream and chill until ready to use.
- Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Lightly coat an 8"-diameter cake pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray or generously grease with room-temperature unsalted butter. Line bottom with a parchment paper round. Blend 3 large eggs, one 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk, 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 large ears), and 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, in a blender until combined and almost smooth (you want some texture remaining), about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Add ¾ cup (120 g) white rice flour, 1 Tbsp. baking powder, and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt and whisk to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake cake until golden on top and it springs back when gently pressed in the center, 35–45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack; let cool completely.
- Just before serving, transfer corn whipped cream to a pastry bag fitted with a round or petal tip. Pipe cream over top of cake. (Alternatively, you can spoon cream on top and smooth with spoon or an offset spatula to cover evenly.) Do Ahead: Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Unlike American cornbread recipes, which rely on cornmeal, the batter here is made from puréed fresh sweet corn kernels (you can use yellow corn or white corn). In a pinch, you could use frozen corn, but anticipate a flatter, less nuanced taste. Avoid canned corn at all costs, as the kernels, even if drained, can cause the dessert to become waterlogged.
Don’t worry if it sinks very slightly as it cools; the corn cream is a magical and unmissable accompaniment, sure to cover any flaws. It’s only lightly sweetened and amplifies the flavor of the cake while providing additional richness.
Chef’s note: The custardy texture is essential to this cake, so err on the side of underbaking rather than overbaking it. Pull the cake from the oven when it’s golden on top and just set. Don’t worry if it sinks very slightly as it cools; the cream will cover any flaws.