In the Northern U.S.A. we like cornbread sweet and cake-like. This recipe definitely hits those marks. It's soft and fluffy without being too sweet. Cooking it in a cast iron skillet adds an amazing and delicious crispy brown crust on the sides and bottom, but you can also cook it in a normal baking pan or cake pan! Compared to my sourdough and southern cornbread recipes it is fluffier and tastes less like corn, but still is quite good!
The original recipe for this northern cornbread is from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybHsjozl9j4&ab_channel=SimplyMam%C3%A1Cooks
The recipe is here, and pictures of the process are below:
Ingredients:
For a 10" skillet, 8 or 9" round or square cake pan:
1 cup cornmeal (164 g)
1 1/4 cup whole milk or buttermilk (286 g)
1 cup all purpose flour (154 g)
2 tsp. baking powder (8 g)
1 tsp. salt (5 g)
1/3 cup sugar (70 g)
1 large egg (50-60 g)
3 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter (for batter) (42 g)
5 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter (for pan) (72 g)
For a 5" skillet, or small pan:
1/2 cup cornmeal (82 g)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. whole milk or buttermilk (143 g)
1/2 cup all purpose flour (77 g)
1 tsp. baking powder (4 g)
1/2 tsp. salt (2.5 g)
2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar (35 g)
1/2 a large egg (25-30 g)
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter (for batter) (21 g)
2 1/2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter (for pan) (36 g)
Directions:
Begin preheating the oven to 400°F with the baking pan or cast iron inside on the second to highest rack.
Warm the milk up (on a stovetop or in the microwave) and pour over the cornmeal in a medium sized bowl. Let rest 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This is optional and you can just add the milk in cold.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
To the soaked cornmeal and milk mixture add the melted butter and egg. Mix well to combine.
The oven should be preheated by now. Mix the dry ingredients into the cornmeal mixture. Don't let it rest too long.
Take the pan or skillet out of the oven and add the butter, swirling it as it melts and coats the bottom and sides.
Pour in your batter, the butter might rise up the sides and on top of the batter, that's okay. Return to the oven.
Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool 20-30 minutes before eating (the taste and texture are better when it's cooled.
All the ingredients I used.
After mixing the warm milk with the cornmeal. Rest 10 minutes.
While it is resting you can mix together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
After sitting 10 minutes. The corn soaks up some milk.
Before mixing in the melted butter and egg.
Before mixing in the dry ingredients.
After mixing in the dry ingredients! Time to quickly prepare the pan/skillet and start baking!
Take the skillet or pan out and add butter. It will begin to melt and when it's completely melted you'll add the batter.
Pour in the batter. The butter rises up the sides (delicious :)
After baking!
The bottom is a glorious golden brown with a interesting cracked pattern around the edge.
Sides are also golden and amazing.
Interior has a soft amazing texture.
Soft and tastes like cake :)
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