Our usual cornbread recipe is the Small Batch Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread, but this week I needed a slightly larger batch to use in Slow Cooker Stuffing and tried the cornbread recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook. The Silver Palate version calls for bacon and is called Crackling Cornbread. I didn’t want the “crackling” part this time and left it out.

The Silver Palate Cornbread is sweet! The saltiness from the bacon would have balanced things out a bit, but since I left it out the sweetness was prominent. And I loved it. It’s to the point of almost being dessert-like, and if my family had made this during my childhood, I wouldn’t have spent it thinking I didn’t like cornbread.

I’ll be making this one again with blueberries….or maybe pineapples. But this batch is going in the freezer for Thursday, and I’m 100% sure I won’t mind the stuffing being just slightly sweet.
Silver Palate Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter for greasing the pan
- 1 cup cornmeal, stone ground (120 grams)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130 grams)
- 1/3 cup sugar (65 grams)
- 2 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt Use an extra pinch of leaving out bacon
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1 cup diced crisp cooked bacon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (84 grams)
- 1 large egg slightly beaten, room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400. Put the first tablespoon of butter in a 9 inch or 8 inch pan and put the pan in the oven while it preheats so that the butter will melt. Set the timer for 5 minutes so you won't forget about it!
- In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center.
- To the well, add the buttermilk, melted butter, and egg. Stir those things together, then stir all together (gently) to make a smooth and thick batter.
- Scrape into the buttery pan and bake at 400 for about 25 to 30 minutes. A 9 inch square pan should take 25 minutes, but an 8 inch pan will take about 32.
- Let cool for about 15 to 20 minute before serving.
Donna L
This sounded so good, I’m making it to go with dinner! However, I need to double-check the baking powder measurement…. is it really 2 1/2 TABLESPOONS of baking powder? Or is that meant to be teaspoons?
Thanks!
Sue
I’ve made a number of recipes from The Silver Palate Cookbook but I don’t think I’ve made this. I love sweet cornbread so I’m glad you shared your experience with the recipe. One of my favorite things for breakfast is warmed up leftover cornbread with jam. It seems so indulgent.
corinne
Do you think it’s kind of like the stuff from most supermarket bakeries, then? I’ve never found a recipe that has the sweetness (and almost sticky top) of supermarket cornbread, but I’d sure like to!