BELLOWS FALLS — When my kids were little, they loved hearing that we were going to have “spider cake” for dinner. With a little drizzle of maple syrup on top, it could easily stand in for dessert.
This is an old New England technique, a cross between luscious, creamy corn pudding and traditional corn bread cooked in a cast-iron skillet with either cream or milk poured directly into the center just before baking. The cream sinks into the cake and makes a lovely custard-like layer just under the crisp top.
The “spider” was a cast-iron Dutch oven with little legs that could be placed directly in the coals for baking or long braising. I've made this recipe when camping, and it works great if you have a nice fire going.
My variation on this recipe is the fresh roasted corn! It adds a nice dimension to the dish.
Also, my mother's recipe called for souring 2 cups of milk with a few tablespoons of white vinegar. I found myself with only cider or balsamic vinegar in the house one day, and so I acidified the milk with {1/2} cup of sour cream instead. It was even more delicious, so that is the way I make it now (unless, of course, I want to make it and I have no sour cream but plenty of white vinegar on hand).
This is not a diet food, so don't even think about skim milk in this one! My mother made it with whole milk poured on top rather than cream, but the cream is definitely better!
She also used bacon fat, which adds another dimension of flavor, rather than the butter. So if you happen to have a coffee can filled with this fat, go ahead and use it.
¶{3/4} cup corn meal, fine to medium ground, local if possible
¶1 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour
¶{1/2} tsp. baking soda
¶1 tsp. baking powder
¶1 tsp. salt
¶{1/2} tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¶{1/2} cup sour cream
¶1{1/2} cups whole milk (estimated)
¶2 eggs plus one egg yolk
¶{1/3} cup sugar
¶{1/4} cup melted butter, cooled a bit
¶1 cup fresh roasted corn kernels, or frozen corn
¶1 cup heavy cream or whole milk
Place a 10-inch cast-iron frying pan in a 450-degree oven. It needs to be smoking hot when you pour the batter in. Alternately, you can use any heavy skillet.
In a large bowl, mix the corn meal, flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
In a two-quart measuring cup, add a large blob of sour cream, about {1/2} cup. Add enough whole milk to come to the 2-cup mark.
Mix with the eggs, sugar, and 3 tbsp. of the melted butter, blend well, and toss in the corn.
Add the liquid all at once to the dry ingredients and gently combine, just until there are no large pockets of flour. Don't overmix.
Remove the frying pan from the oven and add the last 1 tablespoon of butter, brushing it around the pan. It should be bubbly and sizzling.
Quickly add the batter. It will sizzle and start to set on the edges immediately.
Here's the magic. Now, gently pour the cup of cream directly into the center of the batter. You'll be tempted to pour it all around, but you want it dead center. It will look totally wrong, but will come out deliciously right.
Return to the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or so, depending on your oven, but check at 30. The top should be browned, but not overly so; you don't want it to go too far and dry out.
Let it cool for a few minutes, and cut into 8 or 10 pie-shaped pieces and enjoy! This recipe needs no assistance from a topping except perhaps a drizzle of dark amber maple syrup.
Variations
Sometimes, I add some sweet red pepper, diced and sautéed, along with the corn, just 1/3 cup or so, no more.
Or, if you like heat, add a bit of crushed red pepper, or some finely minced hot pepper.
Freshly snipped chives are really good in this as well, and a cup of shredded cheddar cheese is never a mistake either!