Junior's Cornbread

A very delicious sweet cornbread with just a little difference - vanilla! I think vanilla adds just the right touch of mellow richness to almost everything sweet. This cornbread is probably just a little more work than the average cornbread recipe, but it is definitely worth it. I buy my cornmeal from a local mill store around our area, which I think really makes a difference in the amount of corn taste the bread has, so if you have access to a mill store or a catalog that has fresh stone ground cornmeal, it is that much better. To serve this bread the next day, slice bread squares in half and put under the broiler until lightly browned and crisp, serve with honey butter, it is unbelievable! This bread recipe comes from the "Junior's" cookbook

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 13x9x2-inch pan

Ingredients

• 3  cups all-purpose flour (I use half whole wheat pastry flour)
• 1 1⁄4 cups yellow cornmeal
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  tablespoons baking powder
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 4  extra large eggs
• 1  cup milk
• 1  cup water
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1⁄3 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking pan and place it on an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. (But keep an eye on your butter to make sure it doesn't burn).
3. Mix together the flour,cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and the salt into a large mixing bowl, and make a well in the center of these dry ingredients with a spoon.
4. Beat the eggs in another large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
5. Beat on high until the eggs are light yellow and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
6. Then beat in the milk, water, melted butter, oil, and vanilla.
7. Pour this egg mixture into the well in the dry ingredients, all at once.
8. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until it comes together in a batter (Do not over mix at this stage, or the cornbread may turn out tough).
9. Pour the batter into the hot baking pan (It should sizzle!) and bake until the cornbread is slightly golden brown, about 25 minutes.
10. Cut the cornbread into twelve 3inch squares.
11. Serve hot or warm.
12. (Or toasted the next day with honey butter!).