Equipment
Ingredients
Wet Base
- 113 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 120 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 415 g canned creamed corn
Dry Additions
- 140 g white cornmeal, finely ground
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 4 g kosher salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 279 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 429 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 68 mg
- Potassium
- 296 mg
- Calcium
- 78 mg
- Iron
- 1.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg
- Phosphorus
- 183 mg
- Zinc
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 112 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.08 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.11 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 35 mcg
- Water
- 49 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan with butter or nonstick spray.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until well combined and slightly thickened.
Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition until the batter is completely smooth.
Stir the buttermilk and canned creamed corn into the bowl until evenly distributed throughout the wet ingredients.
Sprinkle the white cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt evenly across the surface of the wet mixture.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a silicone spatula just until moistened and no large dry streaks remain. Stop mixing immediately to ensure a tender crumb.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out into an even layer with your spatula.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cornbread to rest in the pan on a wire cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Chef's Notes
- White cornmeal provides a slightly more delicate, floral flavor and a paler crumb compared to traditional yellow cornmeal, letting the sweetness of the creamed corn shine.
- The residual moisture from the canned creamed corn significantly retards staling, keeping this cornbread tender at room temperature for several days longer than standard lean recipes.
- For a savory, spicy variation, fold 50g of drained, diced pickled jalapenos or 100g of freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese into the batter during the final mixing step.
- If you prefer a crustier edge, preheat a 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it comes to temperature. Melt the butter directly in the hot skillet, pour the excess into your bowl for the batter, and pour the finished batter back into the hot, buttered skillet to bake.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual squares tightly in plastic wrap before placing in a freezer bag.
Reheating: Microwave individual squares for 15 to 20 seconds, or wrap in foil and warm in a 175 C oven for 10 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Cornbread is dense, rubbery, or tough
Cause: Overmixing the batter after adding the dry flour and cornmeal
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Fold dry ingredients gently using a spatula just until incorporated, avoiding vigorous whisking
Cornbread crumbles excessively when cut
Cause: Slicing the cornbread while it is still too hot straight from the oven
Fix: Wait for the remaining cornbread to cool completely before continuing to slice
Prevention: Allow the cornbread to rest for at least 10 minutes to let the crumb set
Greasy texture or separated butter in the batter
Cause: Adding cold eggs or cold buttermilk to warm melted butter, causing the fat to congeal
Fix: Let the batter sit in a warm spot for 5 minutes and fold gently to reincorporate
Prevention: Ensure all dairy and eggs are brought to room temperature before mixing
Cultural Context
Cornbread is a foundational element of Southern American cuisine, evolving from indigenous American culinary and agricultural practices. The addition of canned creamed corn emerged in the mid-20th century as a convenient way to transform a traditionally lean, crumbly bread into a rich, pudding-like side dish heavily associated with comfort food and holiday gatherings.
