Buttermilk Cornbread

Do you like cornbread? Do you like a dense cornbread?

Well then, this recipe isn't for you. I make a buttermilk cornbread because I find the buttermilk with rising qualities of the soda combine to make it rise nicely and is really light when done.

I adapted this recipe a few years ago from several I found at Recipezaar.
2 eggs
2 cups of buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown or white sugar (depending on your preference)
1 cup cornmeal
2 1/2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 stick of butter
Additional 1/4 cup brown sugar to sprinkle over the top before baking.


1. Combine dry ingredients and set aside except for sugar.
2. Mix eggs, buttermilk and oil and sugar. Mix until well blended.
3. Fold in dry ingredients, mix until blended.
4. The batter will be uneven or lumpy, that's o.k.
5. Preheat a 12 inch cast iron skillet in oven at 400 degrees with butter until melted. (You are, of course using cast iron, right? lol, well if not, use a 13 x 9 baking dish, but STILL preheat with butter until hot before pouring batter into pan. The hotter the better but don't burn the butter. The preheating imparts a nicely baked patina to the cornbread bottom.
6. Pour into heated baking dish or pan and if you like, sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned. A visual clue for doneness is if cracks appear in the cornbread and or it is pulling away from the pan at the edges. I tend to cook and bake by visual clues so forgive me if I seem imprecise to you. But hey, I'm just sayin', it's how I roll. (grin)