How to Make Cast Iron Sweet Cornbread
Sweet Cornbread Recipe
When making chili, the sidekick is usually cornbread, right? This is a delicious sweet cornbread recipe that is perfect. We love that it is a cast iron corn bread, as it allows us to use our favorite cast iron pan.
Serve homemade cornbread with your favorite chili recipe as a side. Perfect to make during the holidays and with your favorite barbecue chicken, pork or beef dishes.
What Ingredients Are Needed?
We use the following ingredients for our cast iron cornbread:
- flour
- yellow cornmeal (or white)
- sugar
- salt
- egg
- melted butter
- baking powder
- milk
- corn (can use cream of corn if desired add additional cooking time)
What Size Pan is Used to Make Cornbread?
Our recipe can be made in a #8 or #9 cast iron pan. We have made this recipe with a cold pan and with a pan heated up in the oven. Either way works for us, maybe the hot pan doesn’t cause the cornbread to get as brown.
How Long Do I Need To Bake The Bread?
It takes 25 minutes to bake. If you added creamed corn instead of kernel corn, increase the baking time by 15 minutes (more liquid was added).
Do I Need To Butter My Cast Iron Pan?
Whether you are preheating your pan or baking your cornbread in a cold pan, butter it. Preheating the pan gives the bread a nice crust. Butter that pan really well You don’t want your cornbread sticking. You can also use bacon grease if you have that.
Can I Add More Ingredients Into The Cornbread?
Yes. Add your favorite cheese (cheddar, sharp or mild cheddar). Mix in jalapeño peppers or arrange the peppers on top. Dice jalapeño mix well into the batter.
Tips:
- The butter cast iron pan helps keep the cornbread from sticking.
- The butter cast iron pan also makes a crispy crust (yum!)
- Once the cornbread is cooled/served, remove from the cast iron and clean the pan.
- Using creamy corn, will increase your baking time, up to around 15 minutes.
- Make these other cornbread recipes: sweet cornbread muffins, corn dog muffins and cornbread.
Cast Iron Sweet Cornbread
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet we use #8 or #9
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- large egg
- 1 stick melted butter
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 15 ounce canned corn
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- In a bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix together. Add the butter and mix.
- Add the egg and milk and incorporate. Then add the sweet corn in last and stir.
- Butter up your #8 or #9 cast iron pan zealously. Be generous and make a mess. This is how you get a crispy crust on the outside.
- Pour the mix into the cast iron pan and bake for 25 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- IF you put in creamed corn, you may need around 15 minutes additional cooking time.
Video
I have a dilemma, my husband loves sweet cornbread and I prefer just cornbread so- I’m looking for a good “cornbread” recipe instead of “sweet cornbread” any suggestions? TIA
Well, you could take the sweet corn/cream corn out of the recipe. But you will have to adjust the milk ratio as it might need more or less. So add a little at a time. You want it to be the consistency of a cake batter, maybe slightly thicker.
Can you use buttermilk instead of milk? If use milk, does it matter if whole or 2% or fat free?
You can use different milk/buttermilk to fit your flavor. It will change the richness if you are using fat free milk. But if that is what you are used to you can try and see how you like it.
Can you mix this all up ahead of time (say 2 hours) and bake right before eating?
I have not done this. The recipe has baking powder that will be activated and start to rise when you mix it together. Letting it sit for a few hours on the counter, it may continue to rise.
Is the cornmeal self-rising or not?
It is not.
Do you preheat the pan before pouring in the batter?
I did not because you want to cook the inside before the outside browns.
Directions mention melted butter. How much butter?
Sorry about that. Edited the recipe yesterday.
It’s 1 stick of melted butter.
It was delicious! The batter seemed more liquid than expected, but it was perfectly moist and wonderful.
Glad you enjoyed. If you found it to liquidy, decrease the amount of milk. Recipes are a balance sometimes and you definitely don’t want to have a cornbread that is overly dry.
What can I substituted for the cream of corn?
You can use can corn or fresh corn and blend with a little milk in the blender.
What size skillet should i use for this recipe?
I used a 9″ cast iron pan to make the corn bread.
Thanks for this delicious recipe! My husband and I loved it. I made it without the corn because I’m short on ingredients but I would like to add it next time.
I am so glad you enjoyed it. We find it pretty delicious too.
You can omit the corn and the recipe still comes out the same?
You can. I would suggest cooking it less time as you’ll have less moisture and you don’t want to dry out the cornbread.