Honey Cornbread is made in a cast-iron skillet for crispy, caramelized edges and a sweet, tender crumb bread with a bit of bite from coarse cornmeal and real corn pieces (use fresh or frozen!). It's topped off with an indulgent dose of honey butter, leaving it irresistibly sweet. Pair it with homemade chili, a cozy soup, or some saucy ribs.
Pour vegetable oil in cast iron skillet. Place in oven and pre-heat to 400°F.
Meanwhile, combine milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Mix and let sit for a minute.
Stir together flour, baking soda, cornmeal, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, melt butter and shortening together; microwave in 15 second increments, stirring in between until melted. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the milk and vinegar mixture, egg, and honey.
Fold the dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients until almost combined, then add corn kernels, mixing until just fully incorporated.
Carefully remove cast iron skillet from oven using oven mitts, and pour the cornbread batter in the pan, being sure to spread evenly quickly, as the edge of the cornbread will begin to form from the heated oil.
Place the skillet back in the oven and bake for 18-24 minutes until the edges are golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
In a small bowl, microwave the butter and honey for the drizzle. Stir to combine, then drizzle it evenly on top of cornbread. Slice and serve with whipped honey butter as desired.
Notes
Milk/Vinegar: if you have buttermilk, you can substitute it for this mixture.Frozen corn: make sure it is thawed, drained, and patted dry.