Delicious Buttermilk Cornbread With Variations

From "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book" by Laurel Robertson. Make your own delicious cornbread from scratch; it's so much better than the ready-made mix, and quick and easy to prepare, too! There's really nothing better this time of year than fresh cornbread, hot from the oven, served up with fresh butter or a dollop of honey. The scent of cornbread baking in the oven will certainly please friends and family, so consider preparing this tasty bread at your next dinner party or special brunch. Helpful Tips: Be sure to use very fresh cornmeal, which will give a much better flavor and texture to the finished product. Instead of white sugar, this recipe uses a small amount of honey as a sweetener, to add a pleasing, distinctive flavor. If you prefer, use regular or miniature muffin pans to prepare this versatile bread, or use special corn cob pans if you have them. If you haven't got any buttermilk, use regular milk soured with white or cider vinegar (1 tablespoon vinegar plus milk to make 1 cup). Yogurt, beaten smooth, can substitute for buttermilk, but depending on how tart it is, increase the honey to compensate: our yogurt is medium sour and even with 2 tablespoons of honey in Basic Cornbread the bread is downright tangy. VARIATIONS: Add 1 or even 1 1/2 cups grated raw yellow or green zucchini, for a very moist cornbread - the squash is pretty nearly undetectable, the green very pretty. Or add 1 cup grated carrots, also very pretty. It is not a bad idea to include 2 eggs (reduce the buttermilk to 1 1/2 cups) when adding the vegetables to help the bread cook well.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 1 8-inch pan

Ingredients

• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 1⁄2 cups cornmeal
• 1 -2  tablespoon honey
• 1 -2  large egg, beaten
• 1 -2  tablespoon  oil
• 2  cups buttermilk
•  honey, to serve
•  butter, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch by 8-inch pan or a muffin tin.
2. Sift the salt, baking powder, and baking soda together and combine with the cornmeal.
3. Mix the wet ingredients together, then add the dry, stirring just until smooth.
4. Turn into the greased pan and bake about 20 to 25 minutes; a little longer if you added vegetables (see below) - or only about 15 minutes for muffins.
5. VARIATIONS: Add 1 or even 1 1/2 cups grated raw yellow or green zucchini, for a very moist cornbread - the squash is pretty nearly undetectable, the green very pretty. Or add 1 cup grated carrots, also very pretty. It is not a bad idea to include 2 eggs (reduce the buttermilk to 1 1/2 cups) when adding the vegetables to help the bread cook well.