Soft & Thick Sweet Corn Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between southern cornbread and regular cornbread? ›

Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

The most common theory is a change in cornmeal itself. Until early in the 20th century, Southern cornmeal was made with sweeter white corn and it was water-ground. When industrial milling came along, that changed. The steel-roller mills used yellow corn that was harvested before it was ripe, so it had less sugar.

Why is my cornbread dense? If you overmixed your batter or over-measured your flour, your buttermilk cornbread could turn out dense. Be gentle with your batter and make sure you know how to properly measure flour.

As for the best cornmeal for cornbread, either fine- or medium-grind cornmeal is a great choice. Medium-grind cornmeal will bring slightly more texture and grittiness to the batter, which you may or may not want (it's up to you!). You can use fine or medium cornmeal in these extra corny muffins.

While either white or yellow cornmeal will technically work when making cornbread, yellow does make for a softer more tender bread. Milk is what is going to make sure our bread stays nice and moist as it acts as the binding agent. Baking powder is key for getting a nice tender and fluffy crumb.

Even with the addition of flour and sugar, today's Southern cornbread doesn't taste the same as the original versions. To get that old-fashioned taste, Serious Eats insists on using stone-ground cornmeal and eliminating sugar and flour entirely.

The exact nutritional profile of cornbread can vary depending on the specific recipe and ingredients used. However, cornbread generally contains high amounts of carbs, phosphorus, and sodium in each serving. One piece of cornbread prepared from a commercially prepared mix contains ( 2 ): Calories: 198.

Diabetics should approach cornbread with caution due to its high carbohydrate content, which can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels. Traditional cornbread recipes often contain refined flour and added sugars, further exacerbating the issue.

Real, traditional, Southern-style cornbread is savory, not sweet, and always has been.

Butter adds flavor and color, while oil keeps the crumb tender and moist. Brown Sugar: We add some sugar to our cornbread and prefer brown sugar. The flavor combination of cornmeal and brown sugar works so well.

Should cornbread batter rest before baking? ›

Cornbread Best Practices:

LET the batter sit for 15-20 minutes before baking.

If the mixture is too loose and watery, whisk in cornmeal a tablespoon at a time until it thickens. Pour the mixture into the hot skillet. It should sizzle. Place skillet into oven in the center rack.

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

Soaking the cornmeal in buttermilk for a few hours, or even overnight, tenderizes the large grains of cornmeal, making the bread more moist and tender. This step is optional, however, and the bread is still delicious without the soaking step.

You can decide of course whether or not you will be using the egg whites, yolk, or the entire egg. Add 1/3 cup of mayonnaise to the egg bowl. As shocking as it may seem, mayonnaise is a perfect substitute for milk when making cornbread for the lactose intolerant.

Real, traditional, Southern-style cornbread is savory, not sweet, and always has been.

Hot water cornbread

This type of cornbread is often known as "hot water" or "scald meal" cornbread and is unique to the American South.

Are cornmeal and cornbread mix the same thing? No, but cornmeal is one of the ingredients present in cornbread mix. The mix will have additional ingredients like flour, sugar, and salt for additional body and flavor, as well as a leavening agent like baking soda for a fluffier texture.

While it's typically made with cornmeal, which offers some nutritional benefits like fiber and certain vitamins, it can also be high in calories and carbs depending on how it's prepared. Moderation is key, but hey, enjoying a slice of homemade cornbread now and then can definitely lift the spirits!