Grandma’s Sweet Buttermilk Cornbread

 

• 2½ cups (420 grams) Homemade Cornbread Mix by Wicked Good Kitchen™, prepared with baking soda but omitting oil*
• ½ cup (1 stick/113 grams) unsalted butter, such as Land O Lakes®, melted
• 2 large eggs (mine weighed 101 grams total w/o shells), lightly beaten
• 1 cup (240 ml) organic buttermilk*
• Shortening to prepare pan, such as organic palm shortening by Spectrum®
• Special Equipment
• 8-inch square, 2-inch high cake pan, preferably nonstick
• *Organic buttermilk is called for in this recipe as it is pure, all-natural and gluten-free with no wheat-derived thickeners. Because buttermilk is called for in this recipe, prepare Homemade Cornbread Mix by Wicked Good Kitchen™ with baking soda option. The oil is omitted because this recipe for cornbread calls for an entire stick of melted butter providing adequate fat. By preparing the cornbread mix without oil, it will be shelf stable and keep in the pantry. When the mix is prepared with oil, it must be stored in the refrigerator.

Preparation

Arrange oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease an 8-inch square metal baking pan with shortening. (I like to use my Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch® Nonstick Square Cake Pan.) Line pan with baking parchment so there is an overhang. Do this by measuring parchment about 3½ inches in length additionally at each side of pan. This will allow 1¾ inches of coverage on each end once folded and tucked in. Lightly grease parchment paper. This will create “handles” which will help removing cake from pan and to transfer to cutting board to cut into even squares after cooling. 

 

In a large bowl, place Homemade Cornbread Mix by Wicked Good Kitchen™, prepared with baking soda but without oil. (When measuring by volume with cups, take great care to very lightly spoon mix into cup and level off for accuracy in measuring 420 grams. This is essential for this recipe. Otherwise, your cornbread will have too much mix and will be dry.) Create a well in the center.

Add butter, eggs and buttermilk to mix; blend until well combined. (I like to start with a fork then switch to a rubber spatula.) Scrape bottom and sides of of bowl with rubber spatula as necessary to ensure mixture is well combined and only a few lumps remain. Allow batter to stand for a full 3 minutes. This will allow the flours to absorb the liquids for a moist and tender crumb as well as provide a good rise. With a rubber spatula, carefully scrape and pour the lightly bubbled batter into prepared pan. Smooth top evenly with rubber spatula.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overbake or cornbread will be dry. Cool cake in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Transfer cake to wire rack. Turn right side up onto wire racks (using an additional rack to flip); cool. Cut into 9 large squares for serving.

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