Southern US · Breads & baking

Cast-iron cornbread

Name: Cast-iron cornbread
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 44 min
Yield: 8 wedges
Cuisine: Southern US
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) yellow cornmeal; 1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 tablespoon sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups whole buttermilk; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

A savory buttermilk cornbread with a crisp buttered skillet crust and moist, corn-forward crumb.

About 45 minTotal

About 35 minActive

$Cost

EasyDifficulty

Makes 8 wedges

Equipment

Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Best starting skillet
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan; the crust will be lighter but still valid.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched the recipe’s diameter and preheating method, then checked material, heat retention, cooktop fit, weight, care, stable model identity, and exact destination. Kwilt has not cooked with this skillet.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet · L8SK3: The 10.25-inch seasoned surface matches the recipe footprint and retains enough heat to create the crisp cornbread edge promised by a preheated skillet method. Trade-off: It weighs more than five pounds, the handles become hot, and avoiding rust requires prompt hand washing, drying, and light oiling.
Another workable path: Preheat a 9-inch metal cake pan with the recipe’s fat; the crust will be lighter but the crumb and flavor remain valid.
Sources
Lodge cast-iron material and care
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 8 wedges

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole buttermilk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Instructions

Place a in the oven and heat to 425°F. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.
Whisk eggs and buttermilk in a second bowl. Melt 4 tablespoons butter and whisk it into the buttermilk mixture in a slow stream so the cold dairy does not seize it into large clumps.
Carefully remove the hot skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and swirl to coat the bottom and sides. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold only until no dry flour remains.
Immediately scrape batter into the sizzling skillet. Bake 19 to 23 minutes until golden, pulling slightly from the sides, and a center tester shows moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Cool in the skillet 10 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve warm. Do not leave leftovers in cast iron, where moisture can affect both crust and pan; transfer once cool.

Southern United StatesSouthern United States · Native American corn foundations

From the table

About this recipe

Ground-corn breads in the Americas begin with Indigenous cultivation and cooking knowledge, long before the Southern United States existed. European and African arrivals encountered maize as a foundational crop, and generations of Indigenous, Black, and white cooks developed many ash cakes, hoecakes, pones, spoon breads, and baked cornbreads under unequal historical conditions.

Modern arguments over sweet versus unsweetened cornbread describe only part of that varied history. This skillet version is cornmeal-forward, lightly sweetened, and leavened with baking powder and soda; the defining technical choice is pouring the batter into hot buttered cast iron for a crisp edge and tender center.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe