Cornbread

I love making breads from scratch, it makes me feel very accomplished, and this is one of the easiest breads to make!  Aside from being easy (or, maybe because it is so easy!), cornbread is a southern staple.  This bread is a little bit sweet, and the corn taste really shines through, from the cornmeal.  Start to finish, it takes just under an hour to make a 12" skillet of bread.  I always make mine in a cast iron skillet, partly because its tradition, and partly because I have yet to find another baking dish that will develop a perfect crust on the bread.  And, its nonstick!  Let's get started!

As you know, I use my stand mixer for just about everything, unless the recipe is just so simple that it doesn't make sense to pull the mixer out for it.  That is this recipe.  I just use a mixing bowl and a spatula, mix it up, and dump it into a preheated cast iron skillet, and somehow it turns into delicious cornbread!  

Here's your grocery list for the store:

1/2 C (1 stick) of butter, melted

2/3 C granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 C buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 C yellow self rising corn meal

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

As always, we'll start off with preheating the oven, this time to 375*, and put your cast iron skillet in, to preheat with the oven.  Then, put the sugar into a medium sized mixing bowl, followed by the eggs and buttermilk and mix together well.

   

Now, add in the melted butter, flour, corn meal, baking soda, salt, and mix well.  I let mine sit on the counter for about twenty minutes, letting the baking soda and salt start to work together, and causing the loose dough to rise a little bit.


Once your oven has preheated, pull the skillet out (carefully!!  I can't tell you how many times I have nearly grabbed a 375* pan handle, forgetting that it has been heated in the oven!  To prevent this, I usually leave the oven mitt over the handle, so even if I do grab it, I won't burn myself...)

Now, dump your dough/mixture into the heated pan, smooth out the top as best you can, and slide it into the oven for 30-40 minutes.  After the bread is finished baking, let it sit in the pan for about 5-10 minutes before cutting into it.

 

This is after 30 minutes, it is baked to a beautiful golden brown and smells amazing!  You can put your butter on top, but I like to cut my slice down the middle and put butter in there and let it melt.  This bread is moist, buttery and a perfect treat to go with your supper.  I also make breadcrumbs with my leftovers, to use in any recipe that calls for them.  I use them to crust chicken, in meatloaf/meatballs, all over the place!  It helps to lend a subtle corny flavor to your dishes!