Sweet Whole Grain Cornbread
Cornbread is a Southern comfort food that has won the hearts of the whole country. It is also a uniquely American invention. Although the fluffy, often sweet cornbread we enjoy today is a far cry from the dense hearth baked cakes of early colonial days, the corn at its center only exists thanks to the Native Americans. Corn was an unimpressive wild grass before they cultivated it into the glorious plump ears that now billow in fields around the world.
This whole grain cornbread utilizes a soft whole wheat flour for extra nutrition and a deeper nuttier flavor. I’ve been making this cornbread for years to enjoy with steaming bowls of chili or to make into my famous Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing (coming soon). Corn and blueberries are a natural flavor pairing and this cornbread goes very well topped with my Bluebarb (Blueberry Rhubarb) Jam.
I do have one confession to make. You’ll notice my beautiful thumbnail for this recipe features the cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet. This method is really stylish for pictures on the internet. You’ve undoubtedly seen many pictures of skillet baked cornbreads in the past. However, I do not—I REPEAT—I do not recommend that you bake your cornbread in a cast iron skillet. The iron in the hot skillet can react with the sulfur in the egg yolks, resulting in an unpleasant eggy smelling cornbread. This is not what you want. Baking your bread in a regular, non-reactive glass or non-stick metal baking pan will produce the pure sweet cornbread flavor and aroma that you desire. Skip the style and go for substance with cornbread and most other things in life.😉
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425° F. Spray an 8” x 8” square baking pan or 9” round cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together brown sugar, cornmeal, buttermilk and oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 20 minutes to soften cornmeal.
In a small to medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
After twenty minutes uncover cornmeal mixture and thoroughly whisk in beaten eggs.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just smooth. Do not over mix!
Immediately pour into your prepared baking pan and place in the center of your preheated oven for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
To make bake as muffins: Distribute batter evenly in a standard 12-cup muffin tin that has been lined with cupcake liners or sprayed generously with non-stick spray. Bake at 375° F for 15-20 minutes until a knife or toothpick inserted into the center muffin comes out clean.
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
120 grams (about 1 sifted cup) King Arthur Soft White Whole Flour
172 grams (about 1 cup) Medium Grind Cornmeal
100 grams (½ cup) Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
⅛ tsp Baking Soda
¾ tsp Table Salt
1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
85 grams (about 5 ½ Tbsp) Canola Oil
2 Large Eggs, beaten.
Cornbread is a Southern comfort food that has won the hearts of the whole country. It is also a uniquely American invention. Although the fluffy, often sweet cornbread we enjoy today is a far cry from the dense hearth baked cakes of early colonial days, the corn at its center only exists thanks to the Native Americans. Corn was an unimpressive wild grass before they cultivated it into the glorious plump ears that now billow in fields around the world.
This whole grain cornbread utilizes a soft whole wheat flour for extra nutrition and a deeper nuttier flavor. I’ve been making this cornbread for years to enjoy with steaming bowls of chili or to make into my famous Thanksgiving Cornbread Stuffing (coming soon). Corn and blueberries are a natural flavor pairing and this cornbread goes very well topped with my Bluebarb (Blueberry Rhubarb) Jam.
I do have one confession to make. You’ll notice my beautiful thumbnail for this recipe features the cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet. This method is really stylish for pictures on the internet. You’ve undoubtedly seen many pictures of skillet baked cornbreads in the past. However, I do not—I REPEAT—I do not recommend that you bake your cornbread in a cast iron skillet. The iron in the hot skillet can react with the sulfur in the egg yolks, resulting in an unpleasant eggy smelling cornbread. This is not what you want. Baking your bread in a regular, non-reactive glass or non-stick metal baking pan will produce the pure sweet cornbread flavor and aroma that you desire. Skip the style and go for substance with cornbread and most other things in life.😉
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