Delicious Buttermilk Cornbread With Variations
"From "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book" by Laurel Robertson. Make your own delicious cornbread from scratch; it's so much better than the ready-made mix, and quick and easy to prepare, too! There's really nothing better this time of year than fresh cornbread, hot from the oven, served up with fresh butter or a dollop of honey. The scent of cornbread baking in the oven will certainly please friends and family, so consider preparing this tasty bread at your next dinner party or special brunch. Helpful Tips: Be sure to use very fresh cornmeal, which will give a much better flavor and texture to the finished product. Instead of white sugar, this recipe uses a small amount of honey as a sweetener, to add a pleasing, distinctive flavor. If you prefer, use regular or miniature muffin pans to prepare this versatile bread, or use special corn cob pans if you have them. If you haven't got any buttermilk, use regular milk soured with white or cider vinegar (1 tablespoon vinegar plus milk to make 1 cup). Yogurt, beaten smooth, can substitute for buttermilk, but depending on how tart it is, increase the honey to compensate: our yogurt is medium sour and even with 2 tablespoons of honey in Basic Cornbread the bread is downright tangy. VARIATIONS: Add 1 or even 1 1/2 cups grated raw yellow or green zucchini, for a very moist cornbread - the squash is pretty nearly undetectable, the green very pretty. Or add 1 cup grated carrots, also very pretty. It is not a bad idea to include 2 eggs (reduce the buttermilk to 1 1/2 cups) when adding the vegetables to help the bread cook well."
- Ready In:
- 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Yields:
-
1 8-inch pan
ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1⁄2 cups cornmeal
- 1 -2 tablespoon honey
- 1 -2 large egg, beaten
- 1 -2 tablespoon oil
- 2 cups buttermilk
- honey, to serve
- butter, to serve
directions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch by 8-inch pan or a muffin tin.
- Sift the salt, baking powder, and baking soda together and combine with the cornmeal.
- Mix the wet ingredients together, then add the dry, stirring just until smooth.
- Turn into the greased pan and bake about 20 to 25 minutes; a little longer if you added vegetables (see below) - or only about 15 minutes for muffins.
- VARIATIONS: Add 1 or even 1 1/2 cups grated raw yellow or green zucchini, for a very moist cornbread - the squash is pretty nearly undetectable, the green very pretty. Or add 1 cup grated carrots, also very pretty. It is not a bad idea to include 2 eggs (reduce the buttermilk to 1 1/2 cups) when adding the vegetables to help the bread cook well.
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Reviews
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This has been my favorite southern cornbread recipe for many years for several reasons. First because it uses only cornmeal, no flour. Second because it calls for fresh, coarse cornmeal and makes a delicious crust when cooked in a preheated cast-iron skillet (with the oil in the skillet and not in the batter). That's the kind of southern cornbread I grew up on. You can add honey or jam (with butter, of course) after it's done cooking if you want it sweet. My kids love it that way. It will not turn out so well if you use old cornmeal; it will have a bitter taste with no sweetener to cover it up.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Married to my sweetheart for almost forty years and we have two wonderful children who are grown and have flown the coop. Also, we have been blessed with a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful daughter-in-law, plus FIVE grandchildren: two beautiful granddaughters ages five and eight, and three sweet adorable little grandsons ages 2 months, 2 years and 3 years. My husband and I share a combination of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Dutch, Swiss, Polish, Austrian, German and French heritage, and our son-in-law and daughter-in-law are both Hispanic. We've traveled extensively to many countries abroad (we lived in Germany), and have traveled and lived in several states here in the U.S.A. Many of the recipes I post here are influenced by our combined heritage or from our travels, or they are old family favorites that I want to share with you. I hope you enjoy! Have been to culinary school with many years of cooking (mostly for my family) under my belt, so know my way around a kitchen. And I'm very lucky to have the best sous chef in the world, dddddh! One of my favorite chefs of all time is Jacques Pepin! I have several of his cookbooks, and enjoy watching his television cooking show Fast Food My Way. Another top favorite is Julia Child (of course!). A few other chefs I read/enjoy watching on t.v. are: Giada At Home, Ina Garten's The Barefoot Contessa, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Bites, and Patti's Mexican Kitchen, and many more. On my bucket list is dining at Thomas Keller's establishment The French Laundry in Napa Valley, California... as well as Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and the James Beard award winning Tartine Bakery and Cafe in San Francisco. One day!! Hobbies/Interests: Decorating with fresh flowers and herbs from the garden is my passion, and brings me deep joy! It's really hard to beat!! I love connecting with others who enjoy the same. Gardening, decorating, sewing, music, dancing, film, and reading are also up there. Spending quality time with my grandchildren, family, and friends (and cooking holiday meals!). Currently, a newfound passion has been so richly rewarding for me: genealogical research. I heart ancestry dot com. And last but certainly not least, I absolutely LOVE cats--we have two half-Siamese fur babies (cats) that allow us to live here!! A Note of Thanks~ I try to personally thank everyone who kindly makes and reviews my recipes, but sometimes I am busy, late, or may forget. Please know that I am always humbled that you would try one of my recipes, and I enjoy reading the reviews and seeing all the pretty photographs. Thanks so much! </p>
