Whenever I make homemade baked beans, I always make up a batch or two of corn bread to go with them. We call it “cowboy food”, although I’m sure the cowboy version would have been a lot simpler and probably not nearly as tasty.
I got this recipe from my mom (Irene), after having tried it at her place and commenting on how good it was. The texture is great – really moist and tender, not dry and gritty. The “secret” is in the sour cream. If you’re into soaking, you can do that, too, and I’m sure you could make it with whole wheat flour, although I admit, I normally use white. I recommend full fat dairy, raw and organic if you can get it.
Irene’s Corn Bread Recipe
1 cup flour
1 cup corn meal
1/4 cup sugar (maple syrup should work, too)
2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
4 tablespoons butter, softened
Preheat oven to 400 F and grease a 8″x8″ square pan or 9 inch round pan. *Note – if using a pyrex baking dish
Blend dry ingredients together. This may require you climbing on the counter to get closer to the bowl and ingredients. (My son made corn bread almost all on his own this past week. 
Mix in softened butter. Blend in milk, sour cream and egg. Beat until moist. Pour into greased pan and place in preheated oven. Bake around 15 – 20 minutes, until surface starts to crack and edges pull away from pan. Center should test dry with a toothpick.
If you would like to soak the flour, mix the flour and corn meal with the butter, sour cream and milk the night before baking (or at least 8 hours before). Cover and allow to sit at room temperature (the sour cream will naturally ferment the mixture and prevent spoiling).
When ready to bake, add the rest of the dry ingredients and the egg. Mix well, add additional milk if needed if texture seems too dry. I have tried this once and it worked, it just made the bread a little more crumbly and moist.
Enjoy warm or at room temperature with plenty of butter or baked beans. Makes 16 servings.
Thanks for stopping by, and I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as we do. It’s a wonderful side dish for many autumn soups and stews, such as bean soup with ham. Please share if you feel so inclined.
Note: I had originally said that honey should also work in the recipe, but several people raised concerns about this so I switched it to maple syrup. It’s a fairly small amount of sweetener, either way. I leave it at your discretion.
please don't cook with honey! according to Ayurveda, heating honey turns it toxic. use raw sugar instead. (it's okay to add honey to tea, just let it cool a little…) (and honey is a good carrier for medicinal herbs or spices, ie, 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder in a tsp of honey is good for sore throat – and you can add to warm water to gargle with it)
I know Ayurveda is a time honored tradition, but I don't understand the chemistry behind this claim (not cooking with honey). Sure, the enzymes are no longer intact after cooking, but I don't see any physical way it could become toxic. Could you please supply some evidence to back this assertion?
The main chemical components of honey (in percentages) are:
Invert sugars 73.31
Sucrose (cane-sugar) 2.63
Dextrin 2.89
Nitrogen substances 1.08
Water 18.96
Ash 0.24
http://www.honey-health.com/honey-6.shtml
i always avoid cooking w/honey. i use maple syrup instead. i have found VERY FEW folks, however, that follow this "rule".
Hmmm, this is the first I've heard of any issues regarding cooking with honey. I've found maple syrup to be a good substitute most of the time though.
My cornbread recipe is very similar to this one. It calls for white sugar though. I'll have to try switching the sweetener next time. I've slowly been converting most of my recipes as I make them again.
I found an ayurvedic post at http://www.pioneerthinking.com/dk_ayurvedahoney.html that makes these statements:
a.. Honey should not be mixed with hot foods.
b.. Honey should not be heated.
However, the author gives no explanation as to WHY they make these recommendations. I sent an email off to the author and am waiting for a reply. I am reluctant to accept these claims at face value, as the author's email address ended in "ayurveda-increaselibido.com"…ahem…
For my part, I view honey as an extremely environmentally friendly sweetener, as raising honeybees enhances the environment, unlike the production of most other sweeteners. Honey is also shelf stable for years, unlike maple syrup.
Well, my email has bounced back already, so no answers from Mr. libido-increaser. For my part, I'll still be using honey, unless I get a better explanation.
I don't know what the heck is the deal with heating honey. Not so sure I'd buy that until I had some good evidence. Anyways, this recipe SAVED me! I'd just made a total flop on cornbread muffins from a food.com recipe. I know it's foolish to try a new recipe last-minute, but I couldn't find my old standby. So right before a luncheon, I made these after throwing the other "bricks" away. This turned out great! I had to bake them longer than 25 minutes recommended for a Pyrex. I made two 8×8 pans, but I'd love to know what you'd recommend for cooking time/temp for muffins.
Amy – glad it worked for you.
I've never made these as muffins, so I'm not sure. I usually bake most of my muffin recipes at 350 or 375, for around 18-25 minutes.
Don't cook with honey!!!!!!!! What!!!! Toxic!!!! If it turns toxic then why did I not die from it or even get sick. Been using it in baking, etc. all 38+ yrs of marriage. I'm still standing and in very good health.
Pamela – I hear you. I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone making the claims.
can I substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream or do I need to run to the store???
Plain yogurt should be fine, although it might change the texture a bit. I've used plain kefir, too.
Well I put honey in very hot tea &/or coffee daily and its in my granola recipe & we’re all alive & well so I’ll just roll my eyes & maybe add a “whatever” whenever I see those unsafe claims, lol! Gonna try this recipe thanks!
Good timing! Hubby is planning his chili for tomorrow’s ‘big game’ so maybe I’ll whip off some of this corn bread to go with! Sounds fabulous!
Ginger – here, here! I like honey in my coffee, too.
Aagard Farms – I hope you like it!
Oh, I love, love corn bread and your’s looks fantastic. I really like baking with sour cream so these should be great….with some chili…
That sounds good!
Corn bread sounds great! But what I really want to know is – what is your baked beans recipe?! I have yet to find a satisfactory baked bean recipe from dry beans that my family will eat. So, what do you have? Please share!
The bean link is in the post, but here’s the direct link: http://www.commonsensehome.com/autumn-jewels-and-musical-fruit/
Oh thank you. Don’t know how I missed that link right at the top! Can’t wait to try the recipe.
The cornbread photo was distracting.
This is seriously the best cornbread ever! I am now famous at family gatherings for using this recipe
. Thank you! P.S. I used honey! And heated it! And I will do it again!
lol – Amy – you’re a wild woman!