Sweet Northern-Style Cornbread

Before you start

Northern-style cornbread, the kind often served with chili or at holiday tables across much of the U.S., uses as much wheat flour as cornmeal and enough sugar to taste distinctly sweet. The result is closer to a corn muffin than to a Southern skillet bread: fine-crumbed, tender, moist and golden rather than craggy and crisp.

Three choices keep it soft. Use fine-grind cornmeal so the crumb is smooth, measure the flour by weight so the squares stay moist, and take the pan out when the top just springs back. A light hand when mixing matters as much as in any muffin batter: stir only until the flour disappears.

Ingredients

• Cornbread125 g (1 cup, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 150 g (1 cup) fine yellow cornmeal
• 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp fine salt
• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk — room temperature
• 2 large eggs — room temperature
• 85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter — melted and slightly cooled
• 1 tbsp honey — optional, for extra moisture
• Honey butter (optional)55 g (4 tbsp) salted butter — softened
• 1½ tbsp honey

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack in the center. Butter the pan generously, including the corners.
2. Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, whisk the milk, eggs and honey if using. Slowly whisk in the melted butter so it disperses rather than solidifying in streaks.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and fold with a spatula until just combined. The batter should be smooth enough to pour with a few small lumps.
5. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter once to release large air bubbles.
6. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the top is light golden, the edges are a shade darker and starting to pull from the pan, and the center springs back when pressed. A toothpick in the middle should come out clean.
7. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the softened salted butter with the honey until smooth. Cut the cornbread into 9 squares and serve warm with the honey butter.

Tips for success

• Glass and ceramic pans heat more slowly; if you use one, lower the oven to 175°C (350°F) and add 5 minutes so the edges do not overbrown before the center sets.
• Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly. Baking powder clumps leave bitter spots and uneven rise in a tender, sweet bread like this one.
• For muffins, divide the batter among 12 lined cups and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 to 18 minutes.

Substitutions

Whole milk

Buttermilk gives a slightly tangier, more tender crumb. Add ¼ teaspoon baking soda to the dry ingredients so the acid does not leave a sour note.

Granulated sugar

Cut it to 50 g for a less sweet bread that still has a soft crumb. Replacing all of it with honey makes a denser, darker bread that browns faster.

Unsalted butter

Neutral oil keeps the squares softer for longer but loses the buttery flavor. Use 80 ml (⅓ cup).

Variations

Creamed corn cornbread

Fold 200 g (¾ cup) canned creamed corn into the batter and reduce the milk to 160 ml. Bake 5 to 8 minutes longer.

Blueberry corn squares

Toss 120 g fresh blueberries with 1 teaspoon flour and fold them in at the end. Add the zest of half a lemon to the wet ingredients.

Troubleshooting

Squares are dry the next day

Too much flour or a few minutes too long in the oven. Weigh the flour, pull the pan as soon as the center springs back, and wrap leftovers while they are still slightly warm.

Gritty texture

Medium or coarse cornmeal was used. Choose a fine grind, or let the batter rest for 10 minutes before baking so the meal hydrates.

Center domed and cracked

The oven ran hot or the batter was overmixed. Check the temperature with an oven thermometer and fold only until the flour disappears.

Storage

Wrap leftover squares tightly and keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Rewarm in a low oven or for 10 seconds in the microwave. Freeze individually wrapped squares for up to 2 months. Refrigerate honey butter.

Safety notes

Raw batter contains egg and flour; bake before eating. Contains wheat, egg and milk.