Place a 10-inch cast iron skillet in a cold oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, leaving the skillet in the oven while it heats.
Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
Add the buttermilk, egg and oil. Stir to combine.
When the oven has come to temperature, pour about 2 tablespoons of oil into the hot skillet (or enough to thoroughly coat). Use a brush to evenly spread the oil. Pour batter into the hot, greased skillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can use any other heavy oven-proof skillet.
I use either vegetable oil or canola oil for this recipe. You want a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point for greasing the skillet.
Instead of using oil in this recipe, try substituting with bacon grease! It's a great way to add flavor to the cornbread -- even if you just use the bacon drippings to grease the skillet.
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.
Cornbread is best when freshly baked and warm from the oven, but you can prepare it up to 8 hours in advance and leave it on your countertop until ready to serve.
How to store Skillet Cornbread: To extend the life of your cornbread, wrap it tightly and store at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Wrapped tightly, you can freeze cornbread for up to 3 months. Thaw the cornbread on your countertop before enjoying.
To reheat leftover cornbread, wrap in foil and warm in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes. You can also microwave individual slices of cornbread just until warmed through — about 20-30 seconds.