Tennessee Cornbread

This is spectacular. I got it from McCall's Cooking School Cookbook. I have a hard time getting it out of the pan 'pretty', but even when it comes out in pieces, it's wonderful.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2  cups white cornmeal
• 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour (sifted before measuring)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2  cups buttermilk
• 1  egg, beaten

Directions

1. Prepare Corn Bread: Heat oven to 350°.
2. Put butter in 9x5x2 inch loaf pan.
3. Place in oven to let butter melt.
4. Meanwhile, sift together in large bowl cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Add buttermilk and egg to cornmeal-flour mixture.
6. Remove loaf pan from oven and pour hot melted butter into cornmeal mixture.
7. Set loaf pan aside to cool.
8. Using a wooden spoon, mix corn bread batter only until all dry ingredients are moistened.
9. Thoroughly grease the inside of the cooled loaf pan with solid vegetable shortening.
10. This corn bread can stick to the pan so be SURE YOU GREASE THE PAN VERY HEAVILY.
11. If possible, use a pan with a nonstick finish.
12. Pour bread batter into prepared pan and put it on the center rack of the preheated oven.
13. Bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.
14. Bread should be very light golden brown.
15. Remove pan from oven and immediately turn bread out onto a breadboard.
16. Let cool about 5 minute.
17. and cut into thick slices.
18. Serve with plenty of butter or honey butter (makes 1 loaf of bread).