Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

Nothing goes better with Chili then a little cornbread. Especially when said cornbread is sweet buttermilk cornbread, hot out of the oven, slathered with butter and drizzled with honey, with a crispy outside from a hot cast iron skillet. Is your mouth watering yet? I'm going to share my cornbread secrets with you, and I've been told many a time that my cornbread is the best! ~ Barbara @ Candy Hearts and Paper Flowers *and* Kitchen Comforts

Cornbread Drizzled with Honey

Secret #1: Buttermilk

Secret #2: Honey

Secret #3: Hot Skillet

Don't have buttermilk? I keep a buttermilk powder on hand for baking when you want the buttermilk flavor, without added liquid. However, you can use it to substitute in a pinch.

Now, this week I got to up the secret factor, because I got to use some AMAZING honey, and I don't know if I'd ever be able to live up to it with any old honey again. I got my honey from Haff Apiaries (701.663.1619‎) in Mandan, North Dakota, it's raw unpasteurized honey and the best I've ever tasted. I also used White Lily White Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix, this is hard to find up here in North Dakota, so I order it online. While I do think it makes a better cornbread, you can use whatever corn meal you have.

Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups White Lily White Buttermilk Cornmeal Mix
-OR-
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour

1½ cup buttermilk
-OR-
1½ cup milk
2 Tbsp buttermilk powder

1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tsp honey
¼ cup vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS:

Generously grease 8-10" cast iron skillet (I use butter flavored shortening for this, butter just doesn't do as good a job).

Preheat skillet in oven to 425

Measure cornmeal (and flour, if needed) into a bowl and stir (with a wooden spoon) it up to break up large clumps.

Add remaining ingredients and mix until just moist, it will have some clumps.

Pour into skillet and put in oven for 20 - 30 minutes (depends on the skillet size, start checking on it at 20 minutes. You want the top to get to a nice deep golden color.

Note: Barbara said: Kiy: You can use a cake round, you just won't get quite as crispy a crust. Or any oven safe skillet.