Published September 1, 1995.
In perfecting our Northern cornbread recipe, we aimed for a high-rising, moist cornbread, one with a rich corn taste and a handsome golden color. Among the ingredients we tested, we found the best flavor, texture, and rise resulted from a 1-1 ratio of cornmeal to all-purpose flour. We had thought we would favor a fairly sweet Northern cornbread but found that a generous amount of sugar made the cornbreads taste like dessert breads. In the end, 4 teaspoons of granulated sugar per batch was perfect. We also found that a combination of half milk and half buttermilk made for the best cornbread recipe, one with a wonderful taste, a light texture, an appealing yellow-gold interior, and a high rise.
This cornbread is moist and light, with the rich taste of corn. Use stone-ground or water-ground cornmeal for the best taste and texture. Either yellow or white cornmeal bakes into a handsome, delicious cornbread.
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