Winter in Aotearoa means a pot of soup on the stove and something warm to mop it up with. This cornbread comes together in one bowl, bakes up golden with a soft, tender crumb, and uses all plastic-free dry ingredients!
Makes: one 20cm loaf or square tin (8–9 slices)
Time: 10 min prep + 25 min bake
Bring your jars and scoop what you need
Ingredients
1 cup (150g) fine polenta
1 cup (125g) plain flour
2 tbsp sugar (or coconut sugar for a deeper, caramel note)
1 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup (250ml) milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, this makes a quick buttermilk; or use 1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
60g butter, melted, plus a little for the tin, or a neutral oil
2 tbsp honey, optional, for brushing
- Heat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease a 20cm square tin or cast-iron skillet and line the base.
- Stir the lemon juice (or vinegar) into the milk and leave it for 5 minutes to thicken into buttermilk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the polenta, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt, breaking up any lumps.
- Make a well in the centre. Pour in the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Mix just until it comes together, a few lumps are fine. Over-mixing toughens the crumb, so go easy.
- Pour into your tin and smooth the top. Bake for 22–25 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
- Brush the warm top with honey (or hot honey) if you fancy it, then let it sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Best warm, with a thick slick of butter and a bowl of soup alongside.
Make it savoury, fold through a handful of grated cheese, some corn kernels, or a chopped spring onion before it goes in the oven.
Keeps for 2 days in an airtight container, or slice and freeze. A few minutes in a warm oven brings it back to life.