Cornbread Recipe

Golden, buttery and just sweet enough, classic cornbread is the humble side dish that steals the show. Baked in a hot skillet, it gets a crisp crust and a tender, crumbly middle that soaks up chilli and gravy beautifully.

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

35 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

380

Ingredients

• 200 g fine yellow cornmeal
• 125 g plain flour
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 240 ml buttermilk
• 60 g unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon for the skillet
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 200°C and place a cast-iron skillet inside to preheat for 10 minutes.
2. Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large bowl.
3. In a jug, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and honey until combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined — a few small lumps are fine, and overmixing makes tough cornbread.
5. Carefully remove the hot skillet, swirl in the extra tablespoon of butter, then pour in the batter. It should sizzle as it hits the pan.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden on top and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Pro tips

• Preheating the skillet is what creates the crisp, golden crust — do not skip it.
• Buttermilk keeps the crumb moist; if you have none, stir a tablespoon of lemon juice into plain milk and rest it for 10 minutes.
• Stir the batter only until the flour disappears — overmixing is the main cause of dry cornbread.
• Add a handful of sweetcorn kernels or grated cheese for a tasty variation, keeping the baking time the same.

Frequently asked questions