Sweet Corn Cakes, aka Tomalitos, are a sweet yet savory side to any Mexican feast. Creamy, bursting with flavor and easy to make!
Sweet Corn Cakes (Tomalitos)
These Sweet Corn Tomalitos taste just like the sweet corn cake at the Mexican restaurant, Chevy’s. I only ate there once, but I couldn’t get over how delicious this sweet side dish was, so I immediately searched through all my recipes and found something similar. This recipe is a combination of a recipe I had on hand and a few suggestions from the internet. It’s a hearty dish that adds bulk and tons of flavor to your dinner plate!
What are Tomalitos?
Tomalitos are mini corn cakes that can be eaten instead of tortillas, or in this recipe, eaten as a side dish, much like a casserole. It’s a popular dish in Central America. Tomalitos aren’t the same as tamales, since tamales are typically cooked with meat and sauce and eaten as a main meal. This recipe is generally eaten as a side dish. You can cook individual servings in corn husks or in small custard cups but I baked it in a larger dish to serve up family style. No matter how you serve it, these corn cakes are absolutely delicious!
What to Serve with Sweet Corn Tomalitos
This creamy corn side dish would pair perfectly with any of these delicious Mexican dishes:
- Cheesy Grilled Mexican Chicken and Rice
- Mexican Lasagna
- Easy Chicken Tacos
- Steak Fajita Bowls
- Grilled Carne Asada
- Restaurant Style Mexican Rice
More Corn Sides
Corn is one of those sweet sides that can taste more like dessert than a “veggie” and makes a delicious side to any meal. Try some of these sweet corn recipes for your next family dinner and see for yourself how easy they can be.
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn
- Mexican Street Corn Cups (Disney Copycat)
- How to Cook Frozen Corn (The Right Way)
- Fresh Corn Salsa
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn
- Grilled Cilantro Lime Corn on the Cob
How to Make Sweet Corn Cakes (Tomalitos)
Sweet Corn Tomalitos (Corn Cake)
Equipment
- Hand Mixer
- 9x13 inch pan
- 8x8 inch pan
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/3 cup cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn thawed
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl beat butter with a hand mixer until it is creamy. Add ⅓ cup cornmeal and water and until well blended. Using a food processor, process thawed corn, but leave chunky. Stir into the butter mixture.
- In a separate bowl, mix cornmeal, sugar, cream, salt, and baking powder. Add to the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine. Pour batter into an ungreased 8x8 inch baking pan, casserole dish, or 6 custard cups if you want individual servings. Smooth batter and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Place pan into a 9x13 inch baking dish that is filled a third of the way with water. The corn cake is baked in the water bath to maintain moisture.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Nutrition Information
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Simple and easy to make using a food processor. This is my second day making this in a row the family and I love it. I melted some cheese on top and added canned diced jalapenos to the mix. Super moist and I love that I can save on using eggs because this recipe doesn’t use eggs
So glad it was a hit! I love the addition of the jalapeños.
Looks good, have you tried making this in a steam convection combi oven, wondering if it will work the same but without the water bath?
We haven’t tried it that way, but let us know how it goes if you try it!
My family and I loved this recipe! I just substituted the heavy whipping cream with coconut cream and it was soooooo delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I have a question, you listed a third cup of cornmeal and then again a Fourth cup of cornmeal correct?.. One goes to the first set of instructions and the other goes to the second, same thing (Cornmeal) just divided correct? I am trying to make this recipe, sound delicious just want to make sure I have the right amounts and that I am reading instructions correctly.
Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Yes, that’s right. You use 1/3 cup cornmeal the first time cornmeal is mentioned, and then 1/4 cup the second time.
I know that this was a while ago and it seems that no one caught the mistake but here it goes. You statement “Add to corn flour mixture” is strange as you don’t list a “corn flour”. I think the correct terminology would be to say “Add to items from Instruction #1.
Other than that, this sounds like a great food item that I am going to have to make.
Cheers!
Thank you for catching that! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! It’s been way too long since I’ve eaten at Chevys, and I’m pretty sure I’ve dreamt of their corn cake– I miss it that badly. This dish brought back all the good memories! The flavor was spot on. Mine came out a bit more crumbly than I remember; I may have overcooked it, or it may be because I substituted the heavy cream for whole milk. I also could not find the masa harina at my grocery store, but extra corn meal fit the bill. I feel like this dish is going to be essential everytime I make Mexican food from here on out! Thank you!
So glad you liked it so much! The heavy cream definitely makes it more rich and creamy but whole milk works great if that’s what you have on hand. Thanks for the 5-stars!
masa harina was not mentioned in the recipe.
I thought masa harina was corn meal, possibly the
grind would be different.
THANK YOU so much for posting this recipe. Like you, I ate at Chevy’s only once. And, like you, the sweet corn tamalitos was the best thing on my plate. Dinner is done for tonight, but you bet yer boots I’m making this tomorrow! And your cheese enchiladas on homemade tortillas.
Did you ever make it?
Rebecca … Did you ever make it?