Cornbread is a versatile bread that can be served with breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The simple quick bread is fast to make (measuring, mixing and baking takes only about 30-35 minutes) and creative add-ins like jalapeños and dried fruits add extra culinary interest.
Healthy Cornbread Recipe
Dry Ingredients for Healthy Cornbread Recipe:
- 3/4 cup (180mL) cornmeal
- 1/2 cup (120mL) white flour
- 1/2 cup (120mL) whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp. (15mL) baking powder
- 1 tbsp. (15mL) sugar
- 1 tsp. (5mL) salt
Wet Ingredients for Cornbread Recipe with Olive Oil:
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 egg
Recipe Directions:
- Set oven temperature to 425°F (218°C) to preheat.
- Mix together dry ingredients: cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt.
- In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients: milk, olive oil, and egg.
- Some of the olive oil will begin to separate immediately, so add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients.
- Mix with a fork or spoon so that the dry ingredients are absorbed. The mixture doesn’t need to be smooth – the batter will have a lumpy but pourable texture with the grains of the cornmeal easy to see.
- Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin and bake for 22 to 26 minutes. The loaf is ready when a metal skewer comes out cleanly.
- Allow the loaf to cool slightly, then serve sliced with favorite toppings like butter or margarine and jam.
Creating a Unique Cornbread Loaf
Cornbread can be served as a loaf or as individual muffins that work well for breakfasts, coffee breaks, bake sales, and dinner parties. Cooking time varies based on the density – baking times for cornmeal muffins will be about 15-20 minutes, rather than the time given above for a cornmeal loaf.
A favorite recipe, cooks can also add ingredients to cornbread to create new flavors. Add 1/4 to 1 whole cup of add-ins to the dry mixture. Great savory additions include jalapeños, cheeses, olives, roasted red pepper, and marinated mushrooms.
For a sweeter loaf, add chopped dried fruits to the mixture. Dried cranberries, blueberries, apricots, or pears all make a nice addition to cornbread. Homemade jams and chutneys add complementary flavor as a topping.
For a main entrée, top a casserole dish of chili with the raw cornbread mixture. Bake until the cornbread is golden brown. An important note: Adding the raw cornbread mixture to a cold dish of chili or topping the casserole with more than about 1 inch (2.5cm) of cornbread mixture will increase baking time. Serve the cornbread sliced in generous helpings.
Chloë Ernst - Chloë Ernst is a travel guidebook author who writes for Frommer's and Globe Pequot Press.
