This buttery and moist cornbread recipe is light and fluffy with crisp edges and a golden crumb. Made with buttermilk in a cast-iron skillet this gets ready in less than 30 Mins. The house is filled with the wonderful aroma of cornbread which makes this the perfect dish to entertain.
Table of Content
I like making cornbread when I have guests over. The smell of butter cooking on the cast-iron skillet accompanied by the smell of cornbread is absolute heaven. It makes you and your guests hungry and gives a wonderful homey feeling. That smell of butter lingers in the house for a long time.
The truth is cornbread is not as easy as it seems. Less liquid can make it dry, and too much liquid can make it soggy like a sunk cake. If you overbake, it can be too dry, if you underbake it will be gritty. So in all fairness, it's not the easiest of recipes. This is why I want to share with you my tried and tested recipe today.
Why make this cornbread recipe
- This cornbread is absolutely delicious with a lovely sweetness from the honey and richness from the butter and moisture from the buttermilk. Having said that, it is not overly sweet or too soft like cake, this is why it is perfect to serve with a main meal.
- The recipe is as simple as mix everything in a bowl and bake until golden.
- Most of the ingredients are cornmeal and pantry staples. So you can make this any time at all.
- This is my basic cornbread recipe that gets done over and over again with many variations. There is so much you can add to this and customize it with your favorite savory additions. More on that below.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Cornmeal - Use yellow cornmeal, it looks similar to semolina but is more coarse. Do not use white cornmeal because it does not look the same. And, definitely do not use the cornmeal used for tamales as it has a different texture.
- Flour - I have used all-purpose flour and it works great. Do not use any self-rising or cake flours as it contains leavening or had different protein content. You can substitute the same amount of gluten-free flour (1 to 1 ratio) to make this a gluten-free cornbread.
- Buttermilk - use a good quality thick buttermilk for this cornbread. If you don't have buttermilk use half yogurt and half milk. Make sure to combine it well before using it. You can also make your own buttermilk in just 5 minutes.
- Butter - adds richness but also gives a crisp brown crust. You can use oil but you will miss out on that lovely crisp edges.
- Leavening - the baking powder gives a fluffier cornbread similar to a cake. while the baking soda helps with the acidity in the buttermilk
- Honey - I prefer honey for that subtle sweet taste but you can also use brown sugar instead.
Delicious cornbread from scratch
- Preheat the oven at 400°F / 200°C / Gas Mark 6
- Lightly grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch baking pan with butter and place it in the oven on the middle rack.
Pro tip - you can also heat the cast iron with butter on the stovetop to make it easier to move.
- Dry ingredients – In another bowl combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Pro tip - use a whisk to ensure all the ingredients are well combined as we do not want lumps of baking powder left behind.
- Wet ingredients – Combine buttermilk, honey, eggs, and melted butter in a bowl – Set aside.
Pro tip - make sure the butter is cooled otherwise it will curdle the eggs.
- Now combine the wet with the dry ingredients – use a whisk to ensure you have no lumps.
- Once the cast-iron skillet is hot remove it from the oven. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Return it to the oven on the middle rack.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cornbread begins to brown slightly on the top and a skewer inserted into the center comes clean
Pro tip - bake it until it is just ready. Overbaking can cause it to dry out. Similar to cake a cornbread is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. - Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving
Tips for making the perfect cornbread
- Make the batter just before baking so the cornmeal won't absorb all the liquid baking
- Do not overmix the batter as this will make the final cornbread tough. A gentle lump-free combination will give a light and airy texture.
- Heat the cast-iron skillet until hot. If the skillet is hot but the batter is not ready. Remove it from the oven and place it on a low stovetop burner. This will prevent the butter from burning and still keep the pan hot.
- Use a whisk to ensure you have no lumps in the liquid ingredients so you won't have a lumpy batter. This will prevent over-mixing.
- Brown sugar adds a nice caramel-like flavor and soft texture to the cornbread with the help of molasses. You can replace half the honey or add an additional 2 tablespoon of brown sugar.
More fall favorites
This cornbread will keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Make sure to wrap it well in cling wrap as it can dry out very easily.
Cornmeal is dried and ground corn. The corn kernels are removed from the cob, dried, and then ground to a fine or medium consistency. Both work for this recipe. Polenta or grits would also work but the cornmeal always gives the perfect texture for this recipe.
I find the perfect ratio of flour and cornmeal gives a nice light and airy texture. More cornmeal will give a dense cornbread while more flour will lack that cornbread flavor. Having said that, you can certainly play with the ratio to find that perfect balance for you.
Absolutely anything you would serve with crusty bread. Cornbread is wonderful to soak up sauces in slow-cooked dishes, chilies, stews as well as soups.
Printable Recipe
Best Cornbread Recipe
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) Yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (125 g) All-purpose Flour
- 2 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 Eggs (large)
- 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
- 2 tablespoon Honey
- ½ cup (120 g) Butter (melted)
Plus
- 2 tablespoon (30 g) Butter (for the skillet)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 400°F / 200°C / Gas Mark 6
- Lightly grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or 9-inch baking pan with butter and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Pro tip - you can also heat the cast iron with butter on the stovetop to make it easier to move.2 tablespoon Butter
- Wet ingredients – Combine buttermilk, honey, eggs, and melted butter in a bowl – Set aside.Pro tip - make sure the butter is cooled otherwise it will curdle the eggs.2 Eggs, 1 cup Buttermilk, 2 tablespoon Honey, ½ cup Butter
- Dry ingredients – In another bowl combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.Pro tip - use a whisk to ensure all the ingredients are well combined as we do not want lumps of baking powder left behind.1 cup Yellow cornmeal, 1 cup All-purpose Flour, 2 ½ teaspoon Baking powder, ½ teaspoon Baking soda, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Now combine the wet into the dry ingredients – use a whisk to ensure you have no lumps.
- Once the cast-iron skillet is hot remove it from the oven. Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Return it to the oven on the middle rack.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cornbread begins to brown slightly on the top and a skewer inserted into the center come clean Pro tip - bake it until it is just ready. Overbaking can cause it to dry out. Similar to cake a cornbread is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Make the batter just before baking so the cornmeal won't absorb all the liquid before baking
- Do not overmix the batter as this will make the final cornbread tough. A gentle lump-free combining will give a light and airy texture.
- Heat the cast-iron skillet until hot. If the skillet is hot but the batter is not ready. Remove it from the oven and place it on a low stovetop burner. This will prevent the butter from burning and still keep the pan hot.
- Use a whisk to ensure you have no lumps in the liquid ingredients so you won't' have a lumpy batter. This will prevent over mixing.
- Brown sugar adds a nice caramel-like flavor and soft texture to the cornbread with the help of molasses. You can replace half the honey or add an additional 2 tablespoon of brown sugar.
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Gisela
I just made this recipe Veena, was a hit my kids loved it. I used a 9” cake pan. Can I make it double in the same pan or I need to use two baking pans and how much do I need to increase the baking time?
Veena Azmanov
Gisela. Thank you. Happy you enjoyed it so much. Baking double the amount in the same pan can cause the center to be wet or the outside to be very dry. Cornbread does dry out easily. I suggest using a slightly larger pan, may be 10 inches so it is not too tall. You will need about 40 to 50 minutes of baking time.