A moist, tender Peruvian sweet corn cake with a rustic crumb that still tastes distinctly of corn. Anise perfumes without dominating, while raisins add small bursts of sweetness beneath a golden crust. A simple traditional cake made for afternoon coffee.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Thoroughly grease a 22–24 cm round pan with 12.5% of the butter, including the sides. Have it ready before mixing; once the baking powder is incorporated, the batter should not sit around for long.
Gently melt the remaining butter and let the strongest heat dissipate. Place the corn, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and melted butter in a blender. Process for
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In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, anise, and salt. Pour in the corn mixture and fold only until no dry patches remain. Add the raisins and fold a few more times. The batter should be thick, moist, and slightly coarse, not runny.
Pour the batter into the pan and level the surface. Bake for 50–55 minutes, without opening the oven during the first 40. The cake is ready when the top is deeply golden, the edges begin to pull slightly from the pan, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out without wet batter but with a few moist crumbs.
Remove the cake and let it rest in the pan for 15 minutes before unmolding onto a rack. Slice warm or at room temperature once the crumb has settled. It should remain moist and tender, with clear corn flavor and gentle anise, never dry like an ordinary sponge cake. The corn should still remind you who is in charge here.
