Description
A classic Southern-style cornbread made with creamed corn for extra moisture and sweetness, baked to a golden brown crust in a cast iron skillet. This recipe yields a tender, flavorful bread perfect for serving warm with butter and honey.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal, medium grind (sold as polenta in Australia)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup canned creamed corn
- 1/2 cup (125g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 eggs, lightly whisked
- 3/4 cups milk
- 1–2 tbsp butter, melted (for greasing and brushing the skillet)
Instructions
- Preheat Skillet: Place a 26cm/10″ cast iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) while you prepare the batter. This ensures the skillet is hot for a nice crust formation.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir well to evenly distribute all ingredients.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the canned creamed corn, melted butter, lightly whisked eggs, and milk until fully combined.
- Combine Mixtures: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients bowl and stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Prepare Skillet: Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Add about 1 tablespoon of melted butter and swirl it around to coat the base and halfway up the sides, or use a brush to ensure even coverage.
- Pour Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared hot skillet and smooth the surface with a spatula or spoon for even thickness.
- Adjust Oven Temperature and Bake: Immediately reduce oven temperature to 190°C (375°F) and bake the cornbread for 25 to 30 minutes. The cornbread is done when the top is light golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or when it springs back when gently pressed.
- Cool: Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the cornbread to cool in the skillet for 15 minutes to set the texture before turning it out.
- Serve: Serve the cornbread warm, either directly in the skillet or turned out onto a platter. It pairs wonderfully with butter and honey for extra flavor.
Notes
- Using a hot cast iron skillet helps create a crispy crust and tender crumb inside.
- If you prefer a slightly less sweet cornbread, reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the cornbread light and tender.
- The recipe can be doubled but use a larger skillet or bake in two skillets to ensure even baking.
- If you don’t have creamed corn, you can substitute with whole kernel corn blended slightly with some milk.
