Creole Skillet Cornbread

Baking cornbread in a cast-iron skillet results in the ideal crispy crust enclosing a tender crumb. In this recipe, tender corn kernels provide additional texture. As with many recipes, how much sugar you like in your cornbread may depend on how your grandmother made it, so add more or less sugar to taste. Read the author's story behind this recipe: Skillet Diaries: A Cast-Iron Legacy

Cornbread in a cast-iron skillet
Photo: Jerrelle Guy
Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
8
Nutrition Profile:

This recipe is part of our series, Migration Meals: How African American Food Transformed the Taste of America. During the Great Migration, millions of African Americans left the South and settled in the rest of the United States, bringing rich culinary traditions with them—sweet potato pie, black-eyed peas, mac and cheese, barbecue and so much more.

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 ¼ cups yellow cornmeal

  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar (Optional)

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning, or more to taste

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 ¼ cups buttermilk, divided

  • cup peanut or canola oil

  • 2 large eggs, beaten

  • 1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk flour, cornmeal, brown sugar (if using), baking powder, Creole seasoning, salt and baking soda together in a large bowl. Slowly add ¾ cup buttermilk, stirring with a wooden spoon until just combined. Whisk the remaining ½ cup buttermilk, oil, eggs and corn together in a measuring cup and stir into the batter. The batter should be fairly thick.

  3. Carefully remove the preheated skillet from the oven and pour in the batter. Bake until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 5 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.

To make ahead

Cool and store airtight at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

299 Calories
12g Fat
42g Carbs
7g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Serving Size 1 wedge
Calories 299
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 42g 15%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 7g 14%
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 48mg 16%
Vitamin A 176IU 4%
Sodium 542mg 24%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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