✿ Loft and pillow soft.
✿ Not too crumbly.
✿ Slightly sweet.
✿ Zesty orange, vanilla and nutmeg.
✿ Golden squares of goodness.
Fascinating or funky? Be honest. What am I saying? Hold back seems slim to none with cornbread.
Why orange spiced? These squares stand alone, but by original design, are for next week’s post, which I can’t wait to share.
Easy to Make & Bake
- One bowl dry.
- The other wet.
- Mix wet into dry.
- Add to pan.
- Level, then bake.
- Cool.
- Or warm crumbs on your face are cool too.
Notes
Oven – Cornbread batter likes a piping hot oven, so heat as soon as possible.
Cornmeal – fine and medium cornmeal make exceptional cornbread, so grit comes down to personal choice.
Sugar – I include a range because when stand alone, some (my neighbor Louise) prefer sweeter. But others (mom) like lower sugar.
Buttermilk Makes Pillow Soft Cornbread
If none on hand –
Mix one cup whole or 2% milk with one tablespoon lemon juice, distilled or apple cider vinegar. Stir until smooth, then let stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken and may curdle a bit.
Pie, Cornbread, and Tips
After leaving Tahoe for college, I worked at Marie Callender’s. A job perk: all the pie and cornbread my family and I could eat.
For our end of night “cash out” my friend Jessica and I sat nightly with a tender block of cornbread and ramekin of honey butter. I’d slide my fork through the honey butter, then cornbread.
Pie, cornbread, tips and a best of best friend – fuel through the first year and a half of college.
How To Make Honey Butter
Soften 1-1/2 tablespoons butter,
Add a 1/4-1/2 teaspoon honey,
Whisk or stir with a fork until smooth.
As you can tell, the above isn’t honey butter ; )
Alone, with butter or fruit — a sensation.
If you’re feeling snazzy:
add 1/2 cup walnuts/1/2 cup cranberries, then bake a little longer.
Orange Spiced Cornbread
Ingredients:
Orange Spiced Cornbread
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2-4 Tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter - melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten - room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest - unpacked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° F. Butter an 8X8 metal or glass baking pan.
- In a medium bowl whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. In another medium bowl — lightly beat eggs, then add buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla and zest.
- Add wet ingredients into the dry and stir until the batter comes together but isn't over mixed. Pour into the prepared pan, then level batter with a knife or offset spatula.
- Place on the center rack and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the top begins to brown, edges start to pull from the side, and a center toothpick comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes on a wire rack, then serve warm or let cool further.
Notes
- Cornbread keeps wrapped tight and stored room temperature for a couple days but of course is best hour one.
- Cornbread is best re-heat in the oven, as the top gets crisp and the inside soft.
- Zest, spice, and vanilla can be omitted for traditional cornbread.
That looks wonderful! I would love the texture.
Thank you! We had more than our fair share warm and fresh out the oven 🤩