Bread Baker: Super Moist Cornbread

I know this recipe might be considered cheating – cornbread uses baking powder as its leavener, not yeast. You don’t need to wait for cornbread to rise before you pop it into the oven.

This bread is a perfect recipe to feature during spring cleaning week, however, because it’s important to have fresh baking powder when cooking. Got old baking powder? Toss it in the trash. Your light and airy baked goods will thank you later.

(Learn how to test the freshness of your baking powder, and find out what happens to baked goods when it’s not.)

Second only to my obsession with chewy cookies, I’m obsessed with moist cornbread. I don’t want cornbread that is dry and crumbles easily, and needs a thick pat of melted butter. Instead, I want cornbread that is slightly tacky and slightly chewy and has some heft to it, without being too dense.

All cornbread recipes are fairly similar; the recipe below incorporates all the methods and ingredients I use for super moist bread. The secret is creamed corn. Creamed corn is great for two reasons – it provides extra moisture, and it gives the bread some extra bite and texture. I’ve tried different amounts of creamed corn, and three-fourths of a cup seems about right. A whole cup (or about one small 8.5-ounce can) makes the bread just a little bit too dense, with too much added texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk (I’ve tried both buttermilk and “regular” milk, and I like using regular milk better. It makes the corn flavor stronger.)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (Using maple syrup is a trick I learned from King Arthur Flour – based in Vermont. Other options are honey, molasses or white sugar. I strongly prefer using maple syrup to white sugar.)
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup creamed corn

Step 1. Heat your oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a 8 x 8-inch pan.

Step 2. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt) and whisk together in a medium bowl.

Step 3. Combine the milk, maple syrup, melted butter and eggs in a large measuring cup and whisk together, thoroughly.

Step 4. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and fold in. When everything is about half mixed together, add the creamed corn. Continue folding, until everything is just combined. Lumps are good.

Step 5. Pour the batter into the greased pan, and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the top of the cornbread has browned and a toothpick comes out clean. Avoid browning your bread too much – that will dry it out.