Oh, sweet cornbread

Today is, yet again, another gray & rainy day on the farm.  Trusting that March, April and May showers will bring June flowers.  And some dryness so we can finish overhauling the grass!

Anyway, since today is a chili & cornbread kind of day, I give you an incredibly addictive cornbread. There's a good chance that this is not the first batch of the past 2 weeks.  It's that good.  What's even better is that as long as you have cornmeal on hand, you can make it whenever you want. 

First batch was made in a 9x13 baking dish, which made a dense cornbread about 1 1/2 inches high.  Second batch was made with both a mini-scone pan (below) and maryann pan. 


The mini scone pan created "three bite" cornbread (way better for portion control when it's addictive. 


The maryann pan created a fluted edge (like a tart) but with a "well" in the middle.  I'm thinking maybe whipped honey butter to spread over it?  (If you're not familiar with the maryann pan, here's another recipe I made with it -- with the middle well filled)

Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 c milk
• 1 1/2 c cornmeal
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 TB baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2/3 c white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°.  
2. Combine the milk and cornmeal in a bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Spray a 9x13 baking pan.
4. In a large bowl (I used my KitchenAid mixer), whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Mix in the cornmeal/milk, eggs and oil until smooth. 
5. Pour into the baking pan.  Tap the pan lightly on the counter to remove air bubbles from the batter.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes (I baked for 33) until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

My little helper brought out the cream and sugar tray.  He's learning his way around the kitchen, except that his lessons are more my lessons -- when I keep finding things from the drawers all around the house.  I get to learn how to put things away, again!