Corn cake refers to a savory or lightly sweet fried cake made from a cornmeal-based batter studded with corn kernels, cooked on a griddle like a pancake. Corn cakes trace to indigenous Mesoamerican corn preparations and are especially associated with Southern U.S. cuisine, where they are served with butter and syrup or savory toppings like sour cream and chili. Similar preparations appear across Latin America, including Mexican tortitas de elote. The corn provides natural sweetness and a slightly crunchy texture against the soft batter.