Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread made with honey and no sugar. It's supper moist, tender, light, and fluffy. All the characteristic of a delicious cornbread.
This buttermilk cornbread recipe is our absolute favorite. It's honestly so dang good. It's so easy to make and comes together in no time. I love the fact that it's made with minimal ingredients and doesn't require sugar.
The crispy bottom and buttery taste throughout makes this a recipe that you'll want again and again. So, any chance I get, I make it and serve it as a side dish or sometimes as a quick breakfast with a bowl of fruit or Greek yogurt. Seriously, it's that good... actually addicting.
Buttermilk and cornbread is a match made in heaven. For this recipe buttermilk shouldn't be substituted for regular milk. It's an essential ingredient that really adds to the moist and tender texture and will not result in a hard, dry or dense texture.
It's definitely a crowd-pleaser... hands down.
Recipe Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- Buttermilk
- Eggs
- Cooking oil (grape seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil)
- Honey
Dry Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Cornmeal
- Kosher salt
- Baking powder (for a light and fluffy texture)
Recipe Essentials
- 1 mixing bowl
- measuring cup
- whisk or wooden spoon, preferably a whisk
- baking pan
How to make buttermilk cornbread
Combine the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk. Then, combine the wet ingredients into a separate mixing bowl and whisk.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until the ingredients are combined. It's important that you do not over mix the batter (lumps are okay).
Transfer the batter to a prepared baking pan that's been lined with parchment paper and/or lightly coated with cooking spray and bake in a 350° preheated oven.
Check to see if the cornbread is done by inserting a toothpick or butter knife into the center and if it comes out clean. It's done.
Top with a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey and serve.
Recipe tips
- If you do not have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by combining 1 tablespoon of vinegar OR 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Allow the mixture to rest for about 15 minutes at which time it will begin to curdle.
- You can swamp out honey for maple syrup if you prefer.
- Buttermilk is an essential ingredient in this recipe which adds to the delicious flavor and moist tender crumb. With that being said, I wouldn't swamp out buttermilk for regular milk for this recipe.
- Whisk dry ingredients to make sure they are all incorporated before adding the wet ingredients.
- The baking powder makes the cornbread more fluffy please do not leave it out.
- Honey adds the perfect amount of sweetness without having to use sugar.
- Mix the batter until just combined (over-mixing can cause the cornbread to become tough)
- Add the honey right after adding the cooking oil as the cooking oil coats the measuring cup allowing the honey to pour from the measuring cup much easier.
Storing tips
- If you're planning to make this buttermilk cornbread recipe a day ahead, after baking, allow it to cool completely then store in an airtight container or ziploc bag and leave on the counter top for the next day.
- If you're planning to make this recipe 2 days ahead, after baking, allow it to cool completely then store in an airtight container or ziploc bag and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
- To reheat, place the cornbread in a baking pan and cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 7 to 10 minutes or until heated throughout.
- You can also reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds or so.
- Smear a pat of butter and a drizzle of honey over the top for extra deliciousness.
Pair with these side dishes
Crispy Oven Roasted Broccolini
Serve with these main dishes
Grilled Boneless Chicken Thighs
Easy Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
Be sure to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram for more tasty recipe ideas.
For comments or questions, leave them in the comment section below.
Thanks for visiting,
~Cree
Moist Lemon Cake Cornbread
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or baking pan
- Strong whisk
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Bob's Red Mill Cornbread
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (regular, 2%, buttermilk, or almond milk)
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup grape seed oil (or other neutral cooking oil, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil)
- ½ cup honey (or maple syrup)
Lemony Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 to 3 lemons)
- ¼ cup sugar
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners sugar or powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon milk (regular, 2%, or almond milk)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare baking pan or skillet by spraying with cooking spray or line with parchment paper to prevent cornbread cake from sticking.
- In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk . In a measuring cup, combine wet ingredients and whisk. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until just combine (DO NOT OVER MIX).
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and place in preheated oven and bake until light golden brown.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a butter knife or toothpick into the center of the cornbread. If it comes out clean, it's is done. Meanwhile, make the simple syrup.
- To a small pot, add freshly squeezed lemon juice and sugar. Gently stir until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Using a toothpick or fork, gently poke several holes into the top surface of the cornbread cake,
- Dip a pastry brush into the simple syrup and generously brush the surface of the cornbread cake while it's hot. Continue to do this until simple syrup is gone. Meanwhile, make the glaze.
- In a small mixing bowl, add 1 cup of confectioners sugar or powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice and milk and whisk. If too thin, add more powered sugar; however, if too thick add a dash of milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
- When cornbread cake has cooled slightly, smear or drizzle with lemon glaze.
Notes
- Feel free to use 100% maple syrup in place of honey if desired.
- Whisk dry ingredients to make sure they are all incorporated before adding the wet ingredients.
- Baking powder acts as a leavening which makes the cornbread more fluffy do not leave it out.
- Mix the batter until just combined (over-mixing can cause the cornbread to become tough).
- Add the cooking oil before adding the honey as the oil coats the measuring cup making the honey easier to pour from the measuring cup.
- As mentioned above, use a quality neutral oil such a grape-seed oil instead of butter.
- Either line your baking dish with parchment paper or spray generously with Pam baking spray to prevent your cornbread cake from sticking to the pan.
- Set a timer if necessary, so you will not over bake.
- When you remove it from the oven, use a tooth pick or fork to gently poke holes on the top surface before brushing the entire surface with the lemony simple syrup.
- The cornbread cake will soak up the simple syrup adding more moisture to the cake.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly before add the glaze on top.
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