Pan De Elote Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan or 8x8-inch square baking dish with the 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, then line the bottom with parchment paper for easier removal.

Process corn

Place the 2 cups of corn kernels in a food processor or blender. Pulse 6–10 times until roughly puréed but still slightly chunky — you want some texture. Transfer half of the processed corn to a large mixing bowl and set the rest aside.

Combine wet ingredients

To the bowl with the first half of the puréed corn, add 1 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup whole milk, 3 large eggs, 1 stick melted butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk together until smooth and homogenous.

Fold in dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet corn mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the remaining half of the processed corn (and any reserved whole kernels if you prefer more texture). Do not overmix.

Taste and adjust

Taste a small amount of batter to check sweetness and salt. Adjust by adding a pinch more salt or a tablespoon sugar if desired. The batter will be fairly thick and spoonable.

Bake

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 35–45 minutes, or until the top is golden, a thin knife or toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are fine), and the edges are set.

Cool

Remove pan from oven and let the pan de elote cool on a wire rack for at least 15–20 minutes. If you used parchment, run a knife around the edge and invert to release. Allow to cool another 10 minutes on the rack so it firms up slightly before slicing.

Serve

Slice warm or at room temperature. Place a slice on each plate and top with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and finish with a small pinch of lime zest to brighten the flavors.

Storage

Store leftover pan de elote covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes or microwave individual slices for 20–30 seconds before serving with ice cream.