Pumpkin Cornbread

5 from 1 vote

The perfect addition to your fall table! Tender and moist, this pumpkin cornbread is made from scratch with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

Course bread, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword pumpkin cornbread

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings slices

Calories 233kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

1 9-inch cast iron skillet

Ingredients

For the Cornbread:

1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
1 ¼ cups whole buttermilk, well shaken
¼ cup vegetable oil (plus extra for greasing the skillet)
2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix (not plain cornmeal)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

For the Pumpkin Spice Sorghum Butter:

½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sorghum (or sub with molasses)
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

Place a 9-inch or 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while you preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, buttermilk, and oil until smooth. Add the cornmeal mix and pumpkin pie spice; stir until combined.
Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet and spread to coat the bottom and sides of the pan (I use a pastry brush for this step).
Pour the batter into the hot skillet.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

To Make the Pumpkin Spice Sorghum Butter:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, sorghum, and pumpkin pie spice until smooth. Serve with cornbread.

Notes

Make sure that you're using self-rising cornmeal mix -- not plain cornmeal. The self-rising mix includes flour, salt, and leavening agents in addition to the cornmeal.
I prefer this 9-inch cast iron skillet for nice, thick slices. You can also use a 10-inch skillet, which yields slightly thinner slices.
Use just one cup of 100% pure pumpkin puree (not the entire can). Make sure that you don't pick up a can of pumpkin pie filling or pumpkin pie mix by accident!
Use full-fat buttermilk 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 leavening agents 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.

Nutrition