Summer is strictly cornbread season to me. Something about some BBQ and tender cornbread really turns my crank. Regardless, it has never stopped me from making cornbread in the winter months…. but with things starting to warm up around here (finally!) I thought I would share with you a fun version of my all-time favorite cornbread recipe.
Before I go any further I have to tell you that I like my cornbread like I like most food- sweet, moist, and tender. Basically, cake-like haha. It doesn’t have to be as sweet as a cake obviously… but it needs to have more than a tablespoon oor two of sugar in there. I’m from the North- I don’t do the crusty, savory skillet cornbread like they do down South. And I mean no disrespect to the South by that- don’t get me wrong, I love your cookin’! I am preferential to Northern style cornbread is all… this recipe here actually has a whopping 2/3 cup sugar in it. Even I admit, that is quite a bit. But boy, is it gooooood! You could definitely get away with cutting that down to 1/2 cup sugar, just don’t forget that sugar does add moisture to baked goods so the end product may not be as moist as the original recipe.
This recipe is a killer! Whether you make it with/or without the maple extract, it is sure to charm the pants right off of everybody you serve it to. I simply like the maple version as an alternative when I am feeling bored. I feel like maple and cornbread make a perfect pairing. I’ve never been able to find a maple cornbread recipe that has a strong enough maple flavor I am looking for from real syrup. And I am usually disappointed in the level of moisture. That’s when I decided to just take my favorite cornbread recipe and use maple extract to give me that characteristic maple flavor I yearned for. I understand this may be a pain for some of you since maple extract isn’t always readily available in your pantry or at the store. Some people even from upon using it for it’s artificial qualities. I don’t mind it so much though. I grew up using artificial syrup on my pancakes so for me it delivers the strongest maple flavor. I called for 1 1/2 tsp in the recipe but next time I might even go 2 full tsp to deliver a solid maple punch. Feel free to up the quantity if you feel that way yourself : )
Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1½ tsp maple extract
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 8″ or 9″ square pan (preheat the pan in the oven for an extra crispy crust).
In a large bowl, combine butter, buttermilk, eggs, and maple extract.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.
Add dry ingredients to wet and whisk until just combined.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Notes
Omit maple extract for plain cornbread.