For most people living in the South, cornbread is pretty much a staple at the dinner table. During the winter my husband thinks it’s impermissible to make chili without also making cornbread. Now, I love a good batch of Jalapeno Cornbread, but with two little kids in the house, that’s not an option for us right now. So instead I make this yummy, sweet cornbread recipe. I know, sweet cornbread is very uncharacteristically Texan but trust me it’s SO good!
I also think there is nothing better than cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillet. Using a hot skillet helps distribute the heat more evenly. Plus the heat sears the cornbread batter and makes the sides golden and crispy. Yum! Cast iron skillets take cornbread to a whole new level. Regular pans just don’t compare.
This Sweet Cornbread recipe is a family favorite and my husband actually prefers this to any of my other cornbread recipes. It has just enough sugar to give it a hint of sweetness without being overly sweet. My boys beg for this recipe on a daily basis and always scarf their dinner down knowing a big fat piece is waiting for them.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon + ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spray or lightly grease a 9 inch round pan or skillet
- If using a cast iron skillet, put it in the oven while the oven preheats.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder.
- Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan or hot skillet
- Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. I find the time is closer to 20 minutes with a skillet and 25 with a regular pan.
- Optional: Once out of the oven, I like to take about a ⅛ tbsp pat of butter and rub it all over the top of the cornbread and let it melt in.
If you don’t already have a cast iron skillet, you need to get one. You’ll thank me later. Here’s a 10″ Lodge Pre-Seasoned Skillet for all of you cast iron newbies. If you already have a small skillet, consider adding a larger one to your collection. This is a 12″ Lodge Pre-Seasoned Skillet that has fabulous reviews and is a best seller. These pre-seasoned skillets are perfect since you don’t have to worry about seasoning it yourself. Also, be sure you grab one of these silicone hot handle skillet sleeves. Skillets can get hot and this little sleeve will help prevent you from burning yourself on the handle.
You grew up eating cornbread made in a cast-iron Texas-shaped pan. Remember choosing which part of Texas you wanted on your plate? I loved El Paso and the Panhandle to get 3 crunchy edges.
LOVE the new look! And this corn bread needs to get in my belly!
This was a great recipe! Foolproof and my entire family loved it. Almost as easy as mixing up a box of Jiffy! Plus, there were plenty of leftovers. Will be making this again!
We just had Cornbread this morning, after yesterday’s bacon in the fry pan. It’s a wonderful bake in the cast Iron and if you make it right away, the cornbread has a wonderful crackle and there is no need to scrub the fry pan. It wipes clean. The bacon fat is used instead of Butter or Marg in the recipe!
i love it, made it several times. thank you for sharing. Bea
This recipe is AWESOME! Way better than a box of Jiffy ever thought about being. Thanks fo a keeper recipe. Goes fantastic with my collard soup with rice recipe
Yay! I’m so glad you like it.
Where’s your rice & collard green recipe? Would love to have it!☺
Loved this recipe. My grandmother’s recipe is very similar except for one addition: After pouring the batter into the skillet, drizzle a little honey around on top before baking. It bakes into the top and makes it just a little more special.
I lost my first comment. To sum it up in a nutshell, this is absolutely the BEST cornbread ever. I am making it again tonight. I hop I remember to take a picture to show how beautiful it is when it comes out of the oven. If you like sweet cornbread this is the best recipe EVER. If I could give it more stars than 5 I would.