Hi there! I am so excited to show you how to make easy, delicious honey butter cornbread! It’s as moist as a cake, sweet & savory, and absolutely delish! My recipes calls for a few ‘unusual’ or ‘non-traditional’ ingredients, but you will see why. Let’s get started!
Backstory of my honey butter cornbread
So, this honey butter cornbread is one of my favorite bakes because it’s a one bowl batter and it’s both sweet and savory! I used to make cornbread from the box, (nothing wrong with that) but as my passion for baking grew, so did my interest in making it from scratch! Many box cornbread recipes ask you to add eggs and milk to the mix, but I would always “jazz” it up. I began adding sugar and oil to make it sweeter and more tender. Then I realized, the package only contains the dry ingredients so why not use my own dry ingredients and add my own wet ingredients to customize the flavor and texture to my liking?!
What makes cornbread light and tender?
Fats! This recipe calls for butter, oil, and half & half. Sounds like a lot in comparison to the usual butter and milk, right? Trust me, these ingredients work together to make the fluffiest and moist cornbread you will ever make! This will also keep your cornbread from crumbling. And of course there is technique. When it comes to baking, over mixing is usually frowned upon and this recipe is no different.
What’s the best cornmeal to use?
Let’s talk cornmeal! Versatility is what makes cornbread so popular. With that being said, you can switch out the traditional yellow cornmeal for white cornmeal if your heart desires. Fine cornmeal also works beautifully in this recipe. Which one do I prefer? I am big on COLOR! I think we all can agree that we eat with our eyes first. When I see a bright yellow slice of cornbread, I am ready to dig in!
Easy honey butter cornbread special ingredients
Yellow cornmeal is the star ingredient in this recipe. It gives cornbread it’s beautiful bright color, texture, and flavor!
Sugar takes cornbread to the next level! It balances out the saltiness, giving the cornbread a sweet and savory flavor.
Baking powder is our leavener. It has a combination of baking soda and acid and since this batter does not have acidic ingredients, baking powder works perfectly. All it needs is heat and moisture to activate and make our cornbread rise!
Salt is an essential component in baked goods. It gives you the perfect balance of flavor.
I am so happy to talk butter! First things first, margarine is not butter. Well, what is butter? Butter is made from only one ingredient: cream, two if salt is added. If you read the ingredients label and it contains anything other than cream and or salt, it is not butter and will not work for this recipe.
Cornbread can easily dry out and crumble, which is why I add butter as well as oil. I have experimented with the use of butter and oil in many of my cake recipes and it’s genius! I discovered that by using both, my baked goods stay moistened longer!
Half & half contains equal parts whole milk and cream. It makes this cornbread fluffy with a tender crumb.
And to hold everything together, we need good old eggs as our binder!
Tips for storing cornbread
This cornbread recipe is perfect for storing and here’s why!
It will hold its texture and flavor with the proper storing methods. It can also be left out at room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen then thawed.
To store at room temperature, you can cut the cornbread into individual portions or keep it whole and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. If individually wrapped, then place in an air tight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 days.
To store in the refrigerator, use the method mentioned previously then pop it into the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze the cornbread, I recommend cutting into individual portions then double wrapping each one in plastic wrap. Transfer the slices to an airtight container or resealable plastic bag then place in the freezer for up to one month. Because the cornbread is sliced and individually wrapped, thawing is a breeze! Just remove the desired amount of cornbread from the container and place on your countertop, leaving the plastic wrap on. Let it sit until it becomes soft then remove the plastic wrap.
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