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Golden baked corn casserole in a white square dish with one tender square lifted out, served warm for a family dinner

Easy Corn Casserole With a Tender, Sliceable Center

A from scratch corn casserole made with creamed corn, cornmeal, and sour cream. It bakes into tender golden squares with a soft center and needs no boxed mix.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 9
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal medium grind
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon if using Morton
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Wet ingredients
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup full-fat sour cream at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
  • 1 can 14.75 ounces cream-style corn, not drained
  • 1 can 15.25 ounces whole kernel corn, drained very well
  • Nonstick cooking spray for the dish

Equipment

  • 9-inch square baking dish (2 quart)
  • Two mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
  • Whisk
  • Silicone spatula
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Instant-read thermometer

Method
 

  1. Place the rack in the center and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish. Melt the butter and cool it for 5 minutes. Drain the whole kernel corn in a strainer and press it with a paper towel until nothing drips.
  2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl for 20 seconds, until evenly pale gold with no white pockets.
  3. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Add the sour cream and whisk until smooth with no white streaks.
  4. Pour in the cooled butter in a slow stream, whisking for 20 seconds, until the batter looks glossy and thick with no oil on top.
  5. Stir in the creamed corn and drained kernels until the mixture looks chunky and golden, like thick oatmeal.
  6. Sprinkle the dry mix over the wet mixture and fold gently until the last dry streaks disappear, leaving a few small lumps.
  7. Scrape the batter into the dish and smooth the top until level.
  8. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, until a thermometer in the center reads 160°F, the top is deep golden, the edges pull from the dish, and the center barely jiggles.
  9. Rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut into 9 squares with clean, sharp edges.

Notes

Drain the whole kernel corn very well. Extra liquid is the main cause of a soft center.
Use a medium or fine grind cornmeal. Coarse polenta stays gritty.
Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container, or freeze up to 2 months. Reheat to 165°F.