Sweet Cornbread with Cottage Cheese and Greek Yogurt (Transylvanian Cornmeal Cake)

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This sweet cornbread with cottage cheese and Greek yogurt is a beloved childhood recipe from Transylvania that turns humble pantry staples into a moist, tender, and lightly golden cake. Unlike classic American cornbread served as a savoury side dish, traditional Transylvanian sweet cornmeal cake (mălai dulce cu brânză or túrós kukoricamálé) is a comforting family dessert and breakfast treat.

Rich cottage cheese, tangy Greek yogurt, and fluffy whipped egg whites keep the crumb wonderfully soft, while fresh lemon zest and vanilla give every bite a bright, bakery-style aroma. Just like my sweet fried semolina pudding, it is an old-fashioned, budget-friendly bake that tastes incredible dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with warm honey.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Sweet Cornbread with Cottage Cheese
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Sweet Cornbread with Cottage Cheese
• Top Tips for the Best Transylvanian Cornmeal Cake
• Storing and Freezing
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Delicious Desserts to Try
• Join the Timea's Kitchen Community!
• Sweet Cornbread with Cottage Cheese and Greek Yogurt

Why You'll Love This Sweet Cornbread with Cottage Cheese

• Incredibly Moist & Tender Crumb: Standard cornbread can easily turn out dry or crumbly, but combining 400 g of cottage cheese with 400 g of thick Greek yogurt locks in moisture for days.
• Light, Cloud-Like Texture: Separating the eggs and folding whipped egg white foam into the batter lifts the cornmeal, giving this bake a soft, cake-like bounce rather than a heavy, dense texture.
• No Gritty Cornmeal Bite: Letting the batter rest for 30 minutes before baking allows the cornmeal to fully hydrate in the yogurt and dairy, resulting in a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth slice.
• Bright, Nostalgic Flavours: Freshly grated lemon zest and sweet vanilla transform simple pantry ingredients into a fragrant Transylvanian dessert (mălai dulce) that tastes amazing warm or cold.
• Versatile Anytime Bake: Dusted with icing sugar and drizzled with honey, it works just as well for a cosy weekend breakfast alongside morning coffee as it does for an afternoon family dessert

Ingredients You'll Need

• Cornmeal (250 g): Fine or medium yellow cornmeal (polenta meal) works best for a tender, cake-like crumb. Resting the batter softens the grains completely.

• Wheat Flour & Baking Powder (150 g plain flour + 1 sachet / 1 tablespoon baking powder): All-purpose (plain) wheat flour binds the cornmeal together so the slices hold their shape neatly, while baking powder gives the cake a steady rise.

• Cottage Cheese (400 g): Full-fat cottage cheese or traditional fresh farmer's cheese (brânză de vaci / tehéntúró) adds rich protein and creamy pockets of moisture. You can also substitute cream cheese or ricotta if preferred.

• Eggs (4 large, separated): Separating the yolks from the whites is the secret to the texture-the yolks enrich the butter base, while the whipped egg whites create a light, airy sponge.

• Caster Sugar & Unsalted Butter (200 g caster sugar + 100 g softened butter): Make sure your unsalted butter is at room temperature so it creams smoothly with the caster sugar and egg yolks into a pale, homogeneous paste.

• Greek Yogurt, Lemon Zest & Vanilla (400 g Greek yogurt, zest of 1 lemon, and 2 sachets vanilla sugar or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract): Thick Greek yogurt softens the cornmeal dough and balances the sweetness with a gentle tang, while freshly grated unwaxed lemon zest and vanilla infuse the batter with a classic Transylvanian bakery aroma.

• For Serving (Optional): Powdered icing sugar for dusting the warm cake and runny honey for drizzling over individual slices.

How to Make Sweet Cornbread with Cottage Cheese

1: Cream the Butter Base

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, room-temperature unsalted butter, and caster sugar.

• Beat with an electric hand mixer until the mixture becomes a smooth, pale, and homogeneous paste.

2: Mix in the Wet Ingredients

• Add the thick Greek yogurt and vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract) to the creamed butter and continue mixing.

• Once smooth, fold in the 400 g of cottage cheese and the freshly grated lemon zest.

3: Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures

• In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the fine cornmeal, wheat flour, and baking powder.

• Pour this dry flour mixture over the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly until completely incorporated and no dry spots remain.

4: Whip and Fold the Egg Whites (Crucial for Fluffiness)

• In a clean glass or metal bowl, whisk the egg whites with clean beaters until stiff, foamy peaks form.

• Pour the whipped egg white foam over the thick dough.

• Gently fold the egg whites into the batter using a balloon whisk or spatula until fully incorporated, being careful not to deflate the air.

5: Rest the Batter (The Secret Step)

• Leave the mixed batter to rest in the bowl at room temperature for exactly 30 minutes. Do not skip this step! Resting allows the fine cornmeal to absorb the moisture from the yogurt and cottage cheese, ensuring a soft, tender cake instead of a gritty texture.

6: Bake to Golden Perfection

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a rectangular baking tray with parchment baking paper. Pour the rested batter into the tray and use a silicone spatula to level it out evenly.

• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

7: Garnish and Serve

• Remove the sweet cornbread from the oven and carefully transfer it to a wooden chopping board. While it is still hot, dust the top generously with powdered icing sugar.

• Let the cake cool completely before slicing. Serve on a plate with an extra drizzle of honey.

Top Tips for the Best Transylvanian Cornmeal Cake

• Do not skip the 30-minute rest: This is the most important step for this recipe. Cornmeal is harder than regular flour and needs time to absorb the moisture from the Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Resting the batter prevents a gritty, crunchy texture and guarantees a soft, cake-like crumb.
• Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure your butter, eggs, cottage cheese, and yogurt are all at room temperature before you start. Cold ingredients will cause the creamed butter to curdle and clump, resulting in an uneven bake.
• Fold, don't stir: When adding the whipped egg whites, use a spatula to gently fold them into the heavy batter from the bottom up. Stirring vigorously will knock out the air you just whipped in, making the cornbread dense instead of fluffy.
• Sift the baking powder: To avoid tiny, bitter lumps of baking powder in your sweet cornbread, whisk it thoroughly with the wheat flour and cornmeal before adding it to the wet ingredients.

Storing and Freezing

• To Store: Because this sweet cornbread contains a high amount of dairy (cottage cheese and yogurt), it is incredibly moist. Store any leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
• To Reheat: It tastes wonderful cold straight from the fridge, but you can warm individual slices in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to make them soft and fluffy again.
• To Freeze: Allow the cake to cool completely, cut it into individual slices, and wrap each slice tightly in cling film. Place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delicious Desserts to Try

If you loved this sweet cornbread with cottage cheese, you might also enjoy exploring these other comforting, traditional bakes and desserts from our blog:

• Cream Cheese Filling Crepes: Thin, delicate, golden pancakes rolled up with a rich, sweet, and tangy cream cheese filling-perfect for a weekend breakfast.
• Best Easy Apple Cake: A comforting, rustic sponge cake packed with fresh, sweet apples. The best part? No peeling is required!
• Perfect Yeast Doughnuts: Light, fluffy, and golden-fried traditional doughnuts (szalagos fánk) that are practically begging to be dipped in apricot jam.
• Cottage Cheese Doughnuts: If you have leftover cottage cheese, use it to make these beautifully golden, soft-centred fried treats (papanași / túrófánk).
• Best Raspberry Cheesecake: A rich, creamy, and indulgent classic topped with a vibrant, tangy homemade raspberry layer.

Join the Timea's Kitchen Community!

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