Description
Warm maple honey butter elevates this Southern-style sweet potato cornbread to delightful new heights. Comfort meets elegance in this simple yet sophisticated side dish that brings family and friends together around the table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup (120g) yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (240g) mashed sweet potato
- 2 large eggs
Liquid Ingredients:
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) buttermilk
- ½ cup (115 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup (80 milliliters) honey
Seasonings and Leavening Agents:
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Honey Butter Topping:
- ¼ cup (55 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons honey
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the sweet potato by piercing it with a fork and roasting at 400F (200C) for 45-50 minutes until completely tender and soft.
- Once cooled, carefully peel the roasted sweet potato and mash thoroughly until achieving a smooth, consistent texture.
- Adjust oven temperature to 375F (190C) and thoroughly grease a 9×9-inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, melted butter, honey, and eggs until the mixture becomes uniform and silky.
- In a separate bowl, sift and blend the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to ensure even distribution of dry ingredients.
- Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, using delicate strokes to combine until just integrated, taking care not to overmix and maintain the batter’s light consistency.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the surface evenly with a spatula to ensure uniform baking.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, monitoring until the top turns a rich golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
- While cornbread bakes, create the honey butter by blending softened butter, honey, and a delicate pinch of salt until achieving a creamy, spreadable consistency.
- Allow the cornbread to rest and cool for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven to set its structure.
- Generously spread or drizzle the prepared honey butter over the warm cornbread and serve immediately to enjoy maximum flavor and texture.
Notes
- Roast sweet potatoes ahead of time to enhance their natural sweetness and develop deeper flavors before incorporating into the cornbread batter.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and buttermilk to ensure smoother mixing and more consistent texture in the final cornbread.
- Adjust honey levels for dietary preferences – reduce for less sweetness or substitute with maple syrup for a more complex flavor profile.
- Gently fold dry ingredients to prevent overmixing, which can create tough, dense cornbread instead of the desired light and tender crumb.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 318
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 212 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg