Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Albers Yellow Cornmeal
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, for greasing skillet
  • 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ cups full-fat Buttermilk

Instructions:

  1. Heat the Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C (180°C fan/convection).
  2. Melt Butter: Melt the required ½ cup of butter and set aside to cool slightly.
  3. Prepare the Skillet: Place the extra 1 Tbsp of butter into the 9-inch cast iron skillet. Place the skillet into the preheating oven for 5 minutes. The butter should melt and coat the bottom and sides, creating a hot, slick surface (crucial for the crispy crust).
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined and lump-free.
  5. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the slightly cooled melted butter, room temperature buttermilk, and eggs until emulsified.
  6. Combine Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture together until just combined. Do not overmix; stop as soon as dry streaks disappear (a few small lumps are fine).
  7. Pour and Bake: Carefully remove the hot, buttered skillet from the oven using oven mitts. Pour the cornbread batter immediately into the sizzling skillet.
  8. Bake: Bake for 22–25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
  9. Check Doneness: The cornbread is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  10. Cool and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven. Let the cornbread cool in the skillet for 5 minutes before slicing and serving directly from the pan, or invert onto a wire rack.