From Scratch

Let’s be honest. Making corn bread is dead easy but despite that, dump and stir mixes abound, I suppose because they’re fast. This recipe is ready for the oven in the time it takes to pre-heat and it has the added appeal of being one of those “can’t mess it up” recipes. I think the reason it works every time is that the ratio of wet and dry ingredients is just right. You can vary it by taste or dietary needs without problem as long as the amounts remain the same and your baking powder’s active. 

This was my mother’s recipe and goes back to the days before microwaves, meaning old-fashioned butter melting and an extra bowl. I’ve modernized the directions accordingly. Although cornbread dressing has never been part of my family’s Thanksgiving — bread stuffing was the norm and, yes, my mother did stuff the turkey, baking the giblet-free version in a casserole dish — a basket of this cornbread was always on the holiday table with rolls or biscuits and, sometimes, soda bread.

It can be used for dressing, of course, made in advance and made drier by using egg substitute and fat-free milk. It can be doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan. It can be baked in a cast-iron skillet that’s been heated in the oven and maybe has a bit of sizzling melted butter in it.

I tend to combine fat-free and whole milk, depending on what’s in the fridge. If you use buttermilk, be sure to add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. It’s not a sweet corn bread by any means but if you omit the sugar, add 2 tablespoons each of flour and cornmeal.

Ella’s Mom’s Cornbread

1 cup (124g) cornmeal
1 cup (124g) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (50g) sugar
1 TB baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

2 TB unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups (10 oz) milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees (230C/Gas Mark 8) and spray or grease an 8 x 8″ pan.

In a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup, microwave the butter on High for up to one minute, or until melted. Set aside to cool.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and stir well.

Add milk to the measuring cup till it’s halfway between 1 1/4 cups and 1 1/2 cups. Add eggs and beat briefly.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix thoroughly, being careful not to overbeat.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 25 minutes until well-risen, brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

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