Buttermilk Cornbread that Out Breads the Rest

This cornbread recipe is by far one of the best cornbread recipes that I have made. I had a Southern-themed dinner party the other night that was inspired by a 5-spiced rib recipe. Since corn is like gold in the South, I knew that I needed to incorporate it in my dinner party. I looked through quit a few recipes until I found this one, and I am so glad that I did. My friend asks for cornbread instead of cake every year for her birthday, and she gave it a large stamp of approval, which is a big deal!

I have taken pictures every step of the way to help guide you through the process of making this buttermilk cornbread. Scroll down for the recipe in a traditional format with the ingredients and instructions listed. 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray or lightly butter an 8×8-inch glass or metal baking pan, and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 tablespoons or 1 stick of melted butter, ½ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of honey. 

2. Whisk in 2 eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. 

3. Add 1 cup of buttermilk and mix to combine.

4. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of cornmeal, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of baking soda.

5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula until only a few lumps remain.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula to create an even layer. Allow the batter to sit for 3 minutes before placing in the oven to bake.

7. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. You may need to place a piece of foil over the top at the 20-minute mark to prevent over-browning.

8. Remove from the oven, brush the top with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Once sliced add two or three candied jalapeño peppers from your Jalapeño Gold jar.

This item is sold at both of The Chopping Block's stores and also goes great in this dip! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (for Gluten Free, use 1 cup of Cup4Cup multipurpose four)
• 1 cup cornmeal
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon. baking soda

FOR TOPPING:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
• 1 container of Jalapeño Gold (candied jalapeño peppers) 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray or lightly butter an 8×8-inch glass or metal baking pan, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 tablespoons or 1 stick of melted butter, ½ cup of sugar and ¼ cup of honey.
2. Whisk in 2 eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add 1 cup of buttermilk and mix to combine.
4. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of cornmeal, ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of baking soda.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula until only a few lumps remain.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula to create an even layer. Allow the batter to sit for 3 minutes before placing in the oven to bake.
7. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. You may need to place a piece of foil over the top at the 20-minute mark to prevent over-browning.
8. Remove from the oven, brush the top with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Once sliced add two or three candied jalapeño peppers from your Jalapeño Gold jar. 

This cornbread recipe is adapted from Natalie Dicks. 

• Note: You can easily make this recipe gluten free by substituting 1 cup all-purpose flour for 1 cup of Cup4Cup multipurpose four. Cup4Cup is found in a good amount of grocery stores as well as on Amazon. 

If you want to experiment with another type of cornbread, try Chef Quincy Bissic's Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread with Dried Figs, Feta Cheese and Fresh Rosemary.

If you are looking for more Southern inspiration, check out our Summer Southern Comfort class coming up on:

• Wednesday, June 5 6:30pm Lincoln Square
• Sunday, June 23 10am Lincoln Square

You'll learn to make this delicious menu:

• Ultimate Barbecued Ribs with Homemade BBQ Sauce
• Four Cheese Skillet Mac-n-Cheese
• Bacony Baked Beans
• Creamy Cabbage Slaw
• Seasonal Fruit Cobbler with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream