Sweet Cornbread

Light, fluffy, and moist, this sweet cornbread is made from scratch with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword best cornbread recipe, cornbread recipe, homemade cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, sweet cornbread

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 45

Resting Time 15

Total Time 1 10

Servings slices

Calories 156kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fine cornmeal
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 ⅓ cups whole milk or well-shaken whole buttermilk
½ cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon salted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk or milk, and oil.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture; stir to combine.
Place the butter in a very deep 10-inch cast iron skillet (at least 2 inches in depth), or in a very deep 9-inch square baking dish. If you don’t have a skillet or deep dish this size, you can use another similar 2-3 quart dish, such as an 11 x 7-inch pan. If using a smaller 8-inch square pan, don’t fill it to the top with all of the batter (or it might overflow in the oven). Bake the extra batter in muffin tins, if necessary.
Put the skillet in the oven for about 3-5 minutes, until the butter melts. Use a pastry brush to coat the inside of the skillet with the melted butter.
Transfer the batter to the buttered skillet.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting into squares or wedges and serving.

Notes

Use a very deep 10-inch skillet (at least 2 inches in depth), or another 2-3 quart baking dish (such as a deep 9-inch square dish). The cornbread rises quite high (especially if you use buttermilk rather than regular milk), so it might overflow from a smaller dish. If you only have a smaller dish available, don't fill the dish to the very top. Instead, save some of the extra batter and bake it in muffin tins.
Use a finely-ground yellow cornmeal. Coarse cornmeal will give the bread a more grainy (rather than soft) texture.
Use full-fat buttermilk or whole milk rather than a lower-fat alternative. The fat in the liquid adds richness to the batter and helps to keep the cornbread moist.
Let the batter rest for 5-10 minutes before baking, if you have the time. This allows the baking powder to activate and incorporate more air.
Don’t over-mix the batter or it will become too dense, and you'll end up with dry cornbread.
To check if the cornbread is done, insert a toothpick into the center and make sure it comes out clean. Don't cook for too long, or it can dry out.
As the name suggests, this is a very sweet cornbread that tastes almost like cake (similar to a box of Jiffy mix or Krusteaz mix). If you prefer your cornbread less sweet, reduce the sugar to to ¾ cup or ½ cup.
Buttermilk gives the cornbread an even more moist and tender crumb; however, you can substitute with regular milk or cream if that's what you have on hand.
Optional add-ins: 1-2 chopped jalapeño peppers, 1 cup fresh blueberries, 1 cup shredded cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese, or orange zest and dried cranberries.
Sweet Cornbread Muffins: Divide the batter between 11-12 paper-lined muffin cups. Bake in a 350°F oven for 18-20 minutes.
Recipe adapted from The No-Fuss Family Cookbook by Ryan Scott.

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