Skillet Cornbread

Skillet Cornbread: bake a golden, buttery Skillet Cornbread with creamed corn and a perfect caramelized crust.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cornmeal (, fine ground )
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk* (, room temperature)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar*
• ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 eggs (, room temperature)
• ½ cup frozen corn (, thawed and excess moisture drained )
• 1/2 cup creamed corn
• 3 Tablespoons salted butter (, room temperature, cut into pieces, or use bacon grease)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the cast-iron skillet

Set the oven to 375°F and place your well-seasoned black cast-iron skillet inside to heat as the oven comes up to temperature; this will create the deep, even heat the cornbread needs for a crisp, caramelized crust. While the pan warms, keep the skillet on the painted pine wood surface only for staging—no oven or stove will appear in the images—and let the pan sit long enough to be very hot when you add butter later.

Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients

In a small bowl, whisk together the fine-ground cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until evenly distributed and aerated. Use a light touch—this pre-mix ensures the leaveners are dispersed so the crumb rises evenly and the texture stays tender rather than dense.

Step 3: Prepare the wet mixture

In a large mixing bowl, stir the oil and granulated sugar until slightly glossy, then whisk in the eggs until homogenous. Measure the buttermilk into a cup and dissolve the baking soda into it, then add the buttermilk and creamed corn to the bowl and stir gently until combined; you should have a glossy, pourable mixture studded with tiny specks of corn.

Step 4: Combine into a slightly lumpy batter and fold in corn

Add the dry ingredients to the wet bowl and stir just until combined — stop when you still see small streaks and a few tiny lumps; overmixing will tighten the crumb. Fold in the thawed, drained corn kernels so they remain intact and visible in the batter. The resulting batter is thick but pourable, grainy from the cornmeal, with visible kernels and a warm yellow hue.

Step 5: Prepare the hot skillet and bake

Place the butter pieces into the very hot cast-iron skillet and allow them to melt and foam; swirl the skillet so the melted butter coats the bottom and sides. Remove the skillet from the oven and immediately pour the batter into the butter-coated pan, smoothing the top into an even layer. Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs — the crust should be caramelized and slightly cracked while the interior remains tender.

Step 6: Rest, slice, and serve

Let the cornbread rest in the hot skillet a few minutes so it finishes cooking and the crust firms up; slide a knife around the edge, cut into wedges, and serve directly from the pan. The surface should show a warm golden dome with rustic cracks and a scattering of crumbs, ready to be paired with a small bottle of honey or a pat of extra butter.

Notes

• Preheat the cast-iron skillet well to get a caramelized crust.
• Do not overmix the batter; small lumps are fine.
• Use fresh leavening agents for best rise.
• Drain thawed corn thoroughly to avoid a wet batter.
• Reheat in a 350°F oven to revive the crisp crust.