Easy Homemade Cornbread Recipe From Scratch - Budget Bytes (2024)

FAQs

How is cornbread made from scratch? ›

Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Add milk, vegetable oil, and egg; whisk until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Can I substitute water for milk in cornbread mix? Yes, you can, but it may result in a less rich flavor. If you're out of milk, try using cream or half-and-half, evaporated or powdered milk, or even plain yogurt. If you have dietary restrictions, try soy milk or oat milk.

I want to keep the cornbread taste, just less crumbly! I recommend extra egg yolk, adding corn, and using cast iron to bake. Also, try a little lower temperature.

The batter should be thick, but still pourable. Add more milk or buttermilk if necessary. Remove the skillet from the oven and tilt the pan so the butter coats the bottom and sides of pan.

Northern cornbreads tend to be more cake-like, on the sweet side, with a finer crumb due to more flour in the mixture. Southern cornbread is flavored with bacon grease, and cooked in a cast iron skillet, a perfect side for barbecues, or chili. It also tends to be rather crumbly.

It is commonly called "cornbread" in the Southern United States and is not known by a different name in this region. Cornbread is a simple bread that is made by mixing cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and milk to form a batter, which is then baked in the oven.

Sour Cream can be substituted for milk in cornbread but will need to be thinned. I recommend using 75% sour cream and 25% water. Sour Cream will also change the taste of the cornbread and will add a slight tangy flavor which can be counteracted by using a small amount of vanilla extract.

As shocking as it may seem, mayonnaise is a perfect substitute for milk when making cornbread for the lactose intolerant.

You can substitute heavy cream for 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 cup sour cream, combined. You can also substitute the cream for milk. Use 3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of milk plus 2 Tablespoons melted butter to the batter. The cornbread will have a close texture.

The yolk will make the texture more dense and smooth, a bit brownie-like, while the fact that your original batter was too thick means that the additional liquid will help the baking powder achieve better leavening, giving you an airier texture.

Should you let cornbread batter rest? ›

1Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Note: We recommend allowing cornbread batter to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, so if you prefer, you can delay heating the oven until you make the batter. 2Melt the butter, and then set aside to cool slightly.

Soaking the cornmeal in buttermilk for a few hours, or even overnight, tenderizes the large grains of cornmeal, making the bread more moist and tender. This step is optional, however, and the bread is still delicious without the soaking step.

Preheat your pan

You WANT some sizzle here. This helps develop the perfect crust and keeps your cornbread from being too crumbly. Stick your skillet in the oven to warm up as it preheats; it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to get your skillet to just the right temperature!

Pour batter into prepared pan. The batter will be lumpy. Overcome the urge to mix until smooth. Overmixing can cause the corn bread to peak and have tunnels, resulting in a tough texture.

The usual Southern cornbread is made from a batter containing cornmeal, wheat flour, eggs, milk or buttermilk, and shortening; the addition of sugar is generally considered inauthentic.

The package lists out the following ingredients: yellow cornmeal, enriched wheat flour, cane sugar, corn flour, leavening agents, and sea salt. Noticeably, cornmeal is first, meaning it's the most prevalent ingredient. The instructions have you add 2 eggs, 1 cup milk, and 1/3 cup vegetable oil, blend, and bake.

While both styles generally use the same ingredients -- cornmeal, flour, eggs, and baking powder -- the variance lies in the flavor and texture. Northern-style cornbread tends to be sweeter, moister, and cake-like compared to its Southern counterpart.

White bread is rich in calories, whereas cornbread is 60% lower in calories — white bread has 238 calories per 100 grams, while cornbread has 96 calories. Therefore, cornbread has more nutrients than white bread. Consequently, you can consider it to be healthier.