Ben Mims' Perfect Cornbread

Name: Ben Mims' Perfect Cornbread
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 cup plain yellow cornmeal; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 2 cups buttermilk; 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup butter

3.6

(23)

23 Reviews

This cast iron skillet cornbread recipe doesn't call for even a teaspoon of sugar—savory cornbread enthusiasts will be happy to know.

By Southern Living Editors

Published on October 11, 2018

Hands On Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

55 mins

Yield:

8 to 10 servings

If you're wondering how one can possibly make classic cornbread even better, we can provide two helpful hints: cook it in a cast-iron skillet and brown your butter. That's just what recipe developer Ben Mims did when he created this recipe to pair along with his Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce. This cornbread recipe doesn't call for even a teaspoon of sugar—savory cornbread enthusiasts will be happy to know. Ben Mims' Perfect Cornbread is a no-frills, good-as-it-gets recipe for a Southern classic that you won't be able to pass up. Another tactic we've found to catapult cornbread to best-ever status is getting that skillet nice and piping hot before adding in the batter. This helps a thick crust form around the edges from the get-go—a must-have as far as we're concerned. While this recipe is used in our Cornbread Pudding with Whiskey Caramel Sauce, don't be surprised if your family starts to request it à la carte. It's just that good.

Ben Mim's Perfect Cornbread Recipe — Brian Woodcock

Ingredients

1 cup plain yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk and eggs; stir into cornmeal mixture just until combined. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add butter, and stir until butter is melted. Stir melted butter into cornbread batter. Pour batter into hot skillet.
Bake at 425° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and cornbread pulls away from sides of skillet. Invert cornbread onto a wire rack; serve warm