Sweet Brown Sugar Skillet Cornbread
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Sweet Brown Sugar Skillet Cornbread. An old fashioned version of Southern classic cornbread that's a little on the sweeter side and perhaps a little more versatile.
With the summer BBQ season in full swing now, I thought I'd update my standard cornbread recipe to one that I use most often now, Sweet Brown Sugar Skillet Cornbread.
I have travelled extensively in the US south, covering all the southern states, some multiple times over the last 3 or more decades. I have driven every mile from Key West Florida to Santa Barbara, California.
There have been some epic road trips over the years, the last one lasting 3 months immediately after Covid. I could write a book on road food along the way.
On those travels, I have sampled many many versions of cornbread from roadside diners to gourmet breakfast spots. I've sampled it everywhere from the famous Mrs. Wilkes Dining room in Savannah, Georgia to the incredible Al's Finger Licking Good Bar-B-Que and Soul Food in Ybor City, Florida.
What separates cornbread recipes most?
To be honest, I've never met a cornbread I didn't like, whether it cam from a southern smokehouse chain restaurant or a California food truck. I have noticed one difference though, depending in where you go, and that is the level of sweetness in the recipe.
There are recipes that are completely savoury, treating the cornbread like southern buttermilk biscuits with no sugar at all. My own recipe from years ago in fact uses very little.
It is still the recipe I prefer for my Cornbread Stuffing as well. It's more fitting for a savory stuffing, I think.
However, I think it was first in Georgia, years ago, that I first had a brown sugar topped cornbread. It came served warm in a small skillet at a family style smokehouse BBQ restaurant.
Buttery edges and a baking tradition for Brown Sugar Skillet Cornbread.
From that experience I learned that cornbread is very often, traditionally baked in a cast iron skillet. It does bake more evenly in a round pan, and one southern friend advised that a well buttered skillet is key to getting slightly crispier, buttery edges.
The other difference on that occasion was a sprinkle of brown sugar on top of the batter before baking. It sort of sinks into the batter as it bakes, creating a marbling of sweetness throughout the tender cornbread.
Our whole family just loves this cornbread. My son Noah in particular, often sends me pics of southern style dinners he cooks at his own place and this cornbread is almost always present.
More versatile?
I served it quite traditionally recently with some smoked brisket and baked beans as a simple delicious dinner. It was the perfect compliment to the meal, served warm with melting butter slathered on.
The sweeter version may actually be more versatile as well.
Also recently I made some for Sunday brunch instead of the buttermilk biscuits we often serve. It was far easier and quicker to prepare, than biscuits and was greatly praised by or guests.
Later that evening I ate the leftovers as a snack with a smear of Irish dairy butter and a skim of Roasted Strawberry Jam! It was incredibly delicious. I may just invent a cornbread shortcake based upon that concept?
What do you think? Good idea?
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Sweet Brown Sugar Skillet Cornbread
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups buttermilk, or milk soured with 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- 13 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon butter to grease the pan.
Instructions
- Sift together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
- Add the eggs, melted butter and milk and beat together until smooth.
- Generously grease the sides and bottom of a 8 ½ to 9 inch cast iron skillet with butter.
- Pour batter into the skillet.
- Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the surface of the batter.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 25 - 30 minutes or until a
wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. - Let cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes and serve.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1 sliceAmount Per Serving Calories 397Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 9gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 82mgSodium 190mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 3gSugar 16gProtein 8g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
