Equipment Needed
- 9-inch cast iron skillet (or a 9-inch square baking pan)
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Small bowl for the honey butter
- Fork or hand mixer for blending butter
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Toothpick or cake tester
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, I start by preparing my pan and oven. I place my trusty cast iron skillet inside and preheat the oven to 375°F. Letting the skillet heat up with the oven is my secret weapon for that incredible, crispy, golden crust. While that’s happening, I whisk together my dry ingredients—the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg—in my medium bowl. I make sure there are no little clumps of baking powder hiding; I’ve had a bitter bite from that before, and it’s not pleasant.
In my large bowl, I focus on the wet ingredients. I whisk the mashed sweet potatoes, melted butter, and honey together until they’re smooth and fully combined. This takes a minute of vigorous whisking. Then, I add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each until the mixture is glossy. Finally, I stir in the buttermilk. A pro tip here: if your ingredients are too cold, the melted butter will seize up into little lumps. Room temperature is your friend for a smooth, emulsified batter.
Now, for the magic act. I pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Using my rubber spatula, I gently fold everything together. The key word is gently. I stop folding the moment the last streak of flour disappears. Overmixing is the enemy of tender cornbread—it develops the gluten and can lead to a tough, dense result. A few lumps are perfectly fine, I promise. The batter will be thick and gorgeous.
Here comes the slightly scary, but always rewarding, part. With oven mitts, I carefully pull the blazing hot skillet out of the oven. I add a small pat of butter and swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides—it’ll sizzle and brown immediately, which is exactly what you want. I immediately scrape my thick batter into the sizzling skillet, smooth the top gently, and quickly return it to the oven. I bake it for 22-28 minutes. I start checking at 22 minutes with a toothpick; it should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached.(See the next page below to continue…)