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Whole Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread with golden edges in a square baking dish

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

Sweet buttermilk cornbread with a tender yellow crumb and golden edges, baked in an eight-inch square pan. Mix it by hand and serve warm with soup or a savory dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cooling time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 9 squares

Equipment

  • 1 8-inch square baking pan
  • 1 Large mixing bowl
  • 1 Bowl for dry ingredients
  • 1 Small bowl or measuring cup
  • 1 Whisk and spatula
  • 1 Cooling rack

Ingredients
  

Cornbread

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly, plus a little for greasing the pan
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup cultured buttermilk shake before measuring
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup plain yellow cornmeal fine or medium grind
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned into the cup and leveled
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Have the pan and oven ready before you finish mixing the batter.
  • Whisk the cornmeal, flour, and salt together in a bowl until evenly mixed. Break up any large flour lumps.
    Plain cornmeal, flour, and salt whisked together before mixing the cornbread batter
  • If the butter is freshly melted, let it cool until warm. Stir the sugar into the butter in a large mixing bowl, then whisk in the eggs until fully blended. In a separate measuring cup or small bowl, stir the baking soda into the buttermilk. Whisk that mixture into the butter and eggs.
  • Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula or wooden spoon. Scrape the bottom of the bowl and stop once no dry pockets remain. A few small lumps are fine; do not beat the batter smooth.
    Freshly mixed yellow buttermilk cornbread batter in a bowl
  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Spread it gently into the corners in an even layer, then put it in the preheated oven promptly.
    Unbaked buttermilk cornbread batter spread in an eight-inch square pan
  • Bake on the middle rack for about 30–40 minutes, starting to check at 30 minutes. The top should be golden and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out without wet batter. A few small crumbs are fine. Continue baking as needed if the middle is still wet.
  • Let the pan rest on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Cut into three rows each way to make 9 squares and serve warm. Let any leftovers cool completely before wrapping.

Notes

Timing is an estimate. Baking usually takes 30–40 minutes, making the total about 55–65 minutes with preparation and a 10-minute rest. Pan material and oven temperature can affect the baking time.
Use plain cornmeal and all-purpose flour. Mix gently after the dry ingredients go in, and bake promptly once the baking soda and buttermilk are combined.
Cool completely before wrapping leftovers. For longer keeping, wrap individual squares and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw covered in the refrigerator and reheat gently.
Adapted from Bethany Weathersby’s Grandmother’s Buttermilk Cornbread on Allrecipes, with additional mixing and baking notes.
Keyword 8-inch pan cornbread, buttermilk cornbread, homemade cornbread, sweet cornbread