Homemade Self-Rising Cornbread

EDITOR’S NOTE (December 26, 2019):  Enlarged text.   See recipe video on my Facebook fan page.

My love for crusty, dark brown cornbread began in childhood.  

Our family regularly ate cornbread with greens,  pinto beans and black-eyed peas.  Sometimes for breakfast, we’d have buttered cornbread drizzled with syrup.

The food was (and still is) affordable and filled our tummies.  

I’ll always love hot cornbread with a good meal.  Never gets old.

Back in 2010 when I decided to “hire me” as a solution to unemployment, a flash of inspiration came to.  It was THE answer to my prayers.

Suddenly, “cornbread” flashed into my mind.  I have loved to cook and bake my entire life.  I also wanted to work for myself!!!  More details in my new cookbook.

I remembered my grandma teaching me how to make her delicious cornbread.  We all loved it.

Since then, I’ve developed several creative variations of her “secret” recipe.  

This recipe is one of the variations I created.

Buttermilk adds flavor, moisture, and helps cornbread brown thoroughly.

Buttermilk is a key ingredient.  Makes moist cornbread that develops a deep golden brown color while baking.

I avoid whole milk because it makes cornbread pale and bland.  Not good at all.

Cornbread batter should have enough buttermilk to make it pour easily.  Thick batter makes thick, dry, crumbly cornbread. 

All dry ingredients should be moist.  If not, baked cornbread will have specs of dry cornmeal mix and dry flour.

Preheating the vegetable oil before adding cornbread batter helps to thoroughly bake bottom and side crusts.

Ever tried buttermilk and cornbread? 

This famous southern dish eaten as a light meal.

Warm cornbread crumbled in a cup, glass or bowl.

Covered with cold buttermilk.

Eaten with a spoon.

Cornbread Mix:  A Delicious Gift

One of my favorite creative gifts is to whip up some cornbread mix and place in a lidded container. 

Print recipe and instructions.

Fold and place in a lovely greeting card.

Cover container with lid and top with a pretty bow.

Voila!  A fabulous gift idea for any occasion.

Print Recipe

Homemade Self-Rising Cornbread

Crusty outside. Moist and tender inside. Easy to make with a few ingredients. Recipe and photography by Beverly Davis for CornbreadMillionaire.com.

Course

Bread, Cornbread

Cuisine

southern

Keyword

cornbread, cornbread millionaire

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

25 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup self-rising white cornmeal mix
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour See recipe notes for all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup corn muffin mix (optional)*
• 2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Course Bread, Cornbread Cuisine southern Keyword cornbread, cornbread millionaire Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 25 minutes Servings servings Ingredients 1 cup self-rising white cornmeal mix 1/2 cup self-rising flour See recipe notes for all-purpose flour 1/4 cup corn muffin mix (optional)* 2 tablespoons sugar (optional) 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine cornmeal mix, flour, corn muffin mix (if using), sugar (if using), eggs, and buttermilk. Stir together until smooth and pourable. Small lumps okay. Set aside.
3. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to an 8" cast iron skillet (thick cornbread) OR a 9" cast iron skillet (thin cornbread). On top of stove over low heat, slowly preheat oil until it sizzles. Avoid smoking hot. Turn off heat.
4. Stir batter until smooth. Carefully pour into hot skillet.
5. Reduce oven to 375. Bake 20 to 25 minutes OR until knife inserted in center comes out clean and cornbread is golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
6. Serve hot.
7. Delicious slathered with butter, honey or maple syrup.

Recipe Notes

How to substitute 1 cup of all-purpose flour for 1 cup of self-rising flour

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Sift together in a medium sized bowl.  Use 1/2 cup for this recipe.  Store remainder in a zippered bag.  Refrigerate until ready to use. ====================

Excellent Gift Idea

Place cornbread mix in a lidded container.  Top with a pretty ribbon.  Place printed copy of recipe in envelope with a lovely greeting card.