My family and I have dubbed my mom, Sharon, the "Cornbread Queen." Some recipes are too sweet, others are too bitter or just plain bland, but her cornbread is just right. She has mastered the art after years of practice.
This recipe is gracefully simple yet flavorful. It is sure to compliment many cool-weather dishes.
From my mom to you, enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow or white cornmeal (not self-rising) plus enough to sprinkle into preheated pan (I use an empty spice container with large holes to sprinkle the cornmeal)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup corn oil plus enough to fully coat the inside of an 8-10 inch cast iron pan (I prefer corn oil because we are using cornmeal but you can use your favorite cooking oil)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
- butter for serving (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 425° F. 2. Coat inside of an 8-10 inch cast iron pan with cooking oil and set aside until oven is preheated. 3. In a medium mixing bowl add cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix thoroughly with the whisk or fork. 4. In another medium mixing bowl thoroughly mix buttermilk, eggs, and oil. 5. Pour liquid mixture into bowl of dry ingredients and mix until smooth. The mixture should be a little thicker than cake batter. 7. Once the oven has been preheated, place oiled pan in oven for 5-8 minutes to heat the oil ( this step is what creates that glorious golden crust!) 8. Take pan out of oven sprinkle a little cornmeal onto bottom of hot pan. It should sizzle. 9. Pour batter into pan using a large spoon or spatula to scrape the bowl. 10. Place pan back in the oven for 25 minutes. 11. Carefully turn baked cornbread onto a large plate, slice, and serve hot with copious amounts of butter!
Enjoy this cornbread with chili, soup, or beans. It also reheats well for later meals. I love it with eggs for breakfast or topped with honey spread.
Recipe courtesy of Sharon Hobbs.