Sweet Skillet Cornbread Recipe
Sweet Cornbread made in a cast iron skillet is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. This cornbread is sweet, crumbly, buttery, and has a perfect crisp to the edges.
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 318kcal
Cost: $5
Equipment
- a 10-inch cast iron skillet, 12-inch cast iron skillet, or 9-inch pie pan
- a fork
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, melted one stick, plus a little extra for coating your skillet. you can also use bacon grease, non-stick spray, or a light tasting oil.
- 1 cup cornmeal if you use self-rising cornmeal, leave out the baking powder.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar if you want your cornbread to be really sweet, use up to 2/3 cup sugar.
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt I use kosher salt so I like to do an overflowing 1/2 tsp.
- 1 cup buttermilk if you do not have buttermilk, use 1 cup milk + 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar.
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- First, preheat your oven to 375°F and place your skillet or baking dish in the oven to get nice and hot. I like to use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. (Adding the cold batter to the hot pan will help you get crispy edges and a nice crust on your cornbread. )
- Next, melt your butter and if you do not have buttermilk, prepare your “faux buttermilk” by combining just shy of one cup of milk with 1 or 2 tablespoons of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice. (I like to pour the vinegar into the measuring cup, then pour whole milk into the measuring cup until it reaches the 1 cup line.) Let this sit for about 5 minutes – the milk will start to curdle – just like buttermilk.½ cup salted butter, melted
- Combine all of your dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix until everything is evenly distributed - flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp kosher salt
- The next step is to whisk the eggs into your buttermilk or “faux buttermilk” using a fork. Make sure the wet ingredients are combined well, and the eggs are whisked and broken up nicely.1 cup buttermilk, 2 eggs
- Next, add the egg and buttermilk mixture and your melted butter to the dry ingredients. (Make sure that the butter has cooled off enough so that your eggs don't scramble or curdle.)
- Fold everything together gently until the wet and dry ingredients are just combined. If you overmix, your batter won’t be able to rise, and your cornbread will be flat.
- Once mixed, carefully remove your hot skillet from the oven. Coat the skillet with butter, bacon grease, or a nonstick spray. (Don't use spray on cast iron!)
- Pour your batter into the hot skillet. It's okay if it makes sizzling sounds - that's what we want - and place the skillet back in the oven.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the cornbread is golden brown. Bake sweet cornbread muffins for 15-20 minutes.
- Cornbread is done once the edges pull away from the pan and the top makes a knocking sound when you tap it. If you poke the cornbread, it should not sink in. Cornbread is pretty stiff when it is done, but it has a slight spring when you touch it.
- Serve your cornbread immediately or store in an airtight container once cooled.
Notes
A 10-inch skillet or 8x8 pan might take longer to bake fully in the middle, so be sure to test it by poking it with a toothpick or butter knife.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t use a mixer when making cornbread – you want to be gentle with this batter to help it bake.
- Do not overmix cornbread – you want to leave the dough nice and lumpy.
- To adjust the sweetness in this cornbread, you can use less sugar (1/4 cup) or more sugar (2/3 cup.)
- To make this recipe without a skillet, you can use a pie pan, square baking dish, or muffin tins. Whatever pan you use, be sure to preheat it while you are preparing the recipe. This gives the cornbread those nice crispy edges that are so yummy.
- When storing leftover cornbread, add a slice of another type of bread (such as a sandwich bread) or a sugar bear to the container to absorb excess moisture.
How to Store Sweet Cornbread
Cornbread is best served the day it is baked, but once cooled, leftover cornbread can be stored in an air-tight container. It should keep for 5-7 days, but it is best when it is fresh and warm and is best eaten within two or three days. Because cornbread is such a moist bread, it can grow mold really easily, so we have found that adding a slice of another bread to the container with it or using a sugar bear helps the bread stay fresh longer. Toast or microwave your cornbread for easy reheating and top it with honey butter.Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 75mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 463IU | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg