Light & Fluffy Brown Sugar Butter Cornbread

Name: Light & Fluffy Brown Sugar Butter Cornbread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 7/8 cup fine yellow cornmeal; 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 5/8 cup light brown sugar, packed; 7/8 tbsp baking powder; 3/8 tsp baking soda; 5/8 tsp kosher salt; 3/8 cup unsalted butter, softened (not melted); 1/4 cup neutral oil; 1 2/3 large eggs, room temperature; 7/8 cup buttermilk, room temperature; 1/4 cup honey; 7/8 tsp vanilla extract; 3/8 cup softened butter, for honey-butter topping; 1/4 cup honey, for honey-butter topping; pinch salt, for honey-butter topping

Chef-created by Chef Joel

A cake-crumb-style cornbread — light, moist, and sweetened with brown sugar and honey, finished with a honey-butter topping.

📝 Notes: For an extra-light version, separate the eggs, whip the whites to soft peaks, and fold in at the very end. For muffins, increase baking powder to 1¼ tbsp and bake at 375°F for 16–18 minutes. Holds moisture well for 24–36 hours covered; reheats at 300°F wrapped for 8–10 minutes.

⏱ Prep 15m🔥 Cook 28m🕒 Total 43m🍽 10 servings

#chef joel's premium recipes#chef joel#cornbread#catering

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Ingredients

7/8 cupfine yellow cornmeal
1 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour
5/8 cuplight brown sugar, packed
7/8 tbspbaking powder
3/8 tspbaking soda
5/8 tspkosher salt
3/8 cupunsalted butter, softened (not melted)
1/4 cupneutral oil
1 2/3 largeeggs, room temperature
7/8 cupbuttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cuphoney
7/8 tspvanilla extract
3/8 cupsoftened butter, for honey-butter topping
1/4 cuphoney, for honey-butter topping
pinchsalt, for honey-butter topping

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Method

1
Preheat oven to 350°F and butter/line a 9x13 pan with parchment.
2
Cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-high 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy, then stream in the oil slowly while mixing. Add eggs one at a time, beating 30–45 seconds each to trap air.
3
Whisk together the dry ingredients separately. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, mixing on low just until combined. Fold in honey and vanilla by hand.
4
Pour into the pan and bake 25–30 minutes until the top is golden, the center springs back, and internal temp reaches about 200°F. Brush with melted butter immediately and rest 10 minutes before cutting.
5
Whip softened butter with honey and a pinch of salt, and spread on the warm cornbread before service.