Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8 cakes
 
These sweet and savory appetizers will impress event the most picky of dinner guests!
Ingredients
Tamale Cakes
  • 3 c frozen corn (thaw 2 cups, leave 1 cup frozen)
  • 1 c unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 Tablespoons sugar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 cup corn flour (masa harina, see note 1)
  • 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Fresh Mild Salsa
  • 2 roma tomatoes
  • ¼ red onion
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
  • ¼ lime
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • (option: see note 2)
Creamy Southwestern Sauce
  • ½ cup mayo
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp water
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ¼ tsp paprika
  • ⅛ tsp cayenne
  • ⅛ tsp onion powder
  • ⅛ tsp garlic powder
  • ⅛ tsp salt
Garnishes
  • 1 cup store-bought salsa verde
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, minced
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
Tamale Cakes
  1. First, preheat the oven to 400° F. Line two large baking sheets with aluminum foil, and spray with nonstick spray.
  2. Thaw 2 cups of corn either by running under hot water or microwaving for a portion of the designated cook time on the package. If using water, allow the corn to dry thoroughly. Keep the remaining cup of corn frozen.
  3. In a food processor, pulse the thawed corn until it is well minced.
  4. Add the softened butter, sugar, and salt to the food processor, and pulse until the mixture comes together. You may have to stop and scrape the sides of the processor once or twice.
  5. Add corn flour and all-purpose flour and mix well (see note 3). The dough will be very thick at this stage.
  6. Transfer the dough to a large mixing bowl and add the remaining 1 cup of corn. Mix together by hand.
  7. Measure portions using a ½ cup measure.
  8. After measuring out each portion, use your hands to flatten each into a disk approximately ¼” thick and 3” in diameter. The mixture is very sticky – I recommend spraying your hands lightly with nonstick spray before attempting to handle. The cakes will spread in the oven, so be sure to space them significantly far apart on the baking sheets. This recipe makes between 6 and 8 corn cakes.
  9. Place the flattened disks on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops just begin to brown.
  10. While the cakes are baking, assemble the toppings listed below.
  11. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then, flip using a large spatula.
  12. Return to the oven for another 7-10 minutes, until the cakes just begin to brown.
  13. Once the tamale cakes are done, remove from the oven and follow the assembly instructions below.
Fresh Mild Salsa
  1. To make salsa, finely dice the tomatoes and red onion, then mince the cilantro. Place in a large bowl.
  2. Add the salt, pepper, and lime juice, and stir to combine.
  3. Set aside
Creamy Southwestern Sauce
  1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well, then set aside.
  2. See note 4 for serving options
Assembly
  1. Spoon a few heaping tablespoons of salsa verde onto the serving plate for each tamale cake. Place a corn cake directly on top of the salsa verde.
  2. Top with the tomato salsa, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and then drizzle with Southwestern Sauce.
  3. Serve with lime wedges and Enjoy!
Notes
1. Masa Harina can be found on the Mexican/International foods aisle.
2. Feel free to purchase store bought salsa rather than make your own, though I prefer homemade for this recipe!
3. After adding the flours to this mixture, the dough becomes incredibly heavy and thick. If your food processor is not of a high grade, I suggest transferring the dough to a stand mixer to avoid burning out the motor. I have a KitchenAid food processor – it has never had problems handling this thick dough.
4. For fancier presentation of the Tamale Cakes, pour the Southwestern sauce into a piping bag. When ready to assemble the cakes, cut off the tip and drizzle over the cakes.
Recipe by hOhm Cooking at http://hohmcooking.com/2018/08/05/sweet-corn-tamale-cakes/