Obsessed Cakes
Warm Banana Cornmeal Cinnamon Roll Poke Cake
A warm banana cornmeal cinnamon roll poke cake with a soft crumb, cinnamon-sugar topping, and cream cheese icing spread over the cake while it is still warm.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Bake
- 45-50 min
- Total
- 1 hr 35 min
- Yield
- One 9x9-inch sheet cake
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Ingredients
Cinnamon Roll Topping
- 70 g (about 1/3 cup) light brown sugar, packed
- 25 g (about 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 10 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) all-purpose flour
- 15 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1 5/8 teaspoons) finely ground yellow cornmeal
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 50 g (about 3 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons) softened butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Snack Cake
- 230 g (about 1 2/3 cups + 4 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
- 80 g (about 1/2 cup + 1 teaspoon) finely ground yellow cornmeal
- 12 g (about 1 tablespoon + 2 1/8 teaspoons) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 170 g (about 3/4 cup + 2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 50 g (about 1/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 240 g (about 1 cup + 1 tablespoon) ripe banana puree (about 2 large bananas)
- 130 g (about 1/3 cup + 4 tablespoons) neutral oil
- 200 g (about 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) plain unsweetened yogurt, room temperature
- 135 g (about 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) milk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 225 g (about 1 cup) cream cheese, room temperature (8 ounces)
- 180 g (about 1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch fine sea salt
- Milk, if needed, starting with 1 teaspoon at a time
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal.
- Make the cinnamon roll topping. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cornmeal, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Add the softened butter and vanilla bean paste. Mix until evenly combined into a soft, spreadable paste. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the banana puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, vanilla bean paste, and apple cider vinegar until completely smooth.
- Add the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Whisk just until combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
- Spread the cinnamon roll topping evenly over the batter. It will not be perfect; think flat streusel and cover as much surface area as possible instead of sprinkling it on in clumps.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, checking at 40 minutes. The center should reach 200-203°F (93-95°C), the cinnamon topping should be lightly caramelized with natural cracks, the center should no longer jiggle, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Use a chopstick to poke holes across the surface, spacing them about 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart and about 1 inch deep. This creates little pockets for the icing to settle into without soaking the cake.
- Whisk together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt until completely smooth. If needed, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the icing is thick, smooth, and easily spreadable.
- Spread the icing evenly over the warm cake while it is still in the pan, allowing it to settle into the holes and natural cracks in the cinnamon topping.
- Let the cake rest in the pan for 15-20 minutes so the icing can settle and the cake can gain a little more structure.
- Using the parchment overhang, carefully lift the cake from the pan. Slice into squares and serve warm, or cool completely and refrigerate for a firmer, bakery-style texture.