Black Folks Southern Sweet Cornbread Recipe
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Cornbread is best served the Black folks’ way! With Sunday dinners and Thanksgiving staples like fresh cranberry sauce, Southern-style green beans, and homemade stuffing.
This Black folks’ Southern sweet cornbread recipe is a yummy delight and a great food idea for your friends and family with sweet, flavorful ingredients.
If you’re looking for something to replace regular white bread at the dinner table. Or you want an option for gluten-free guests, give this delicious homemade sweet cornbread recipe a try!
Part of my holiday recipe collection, I promise that this one will leave you feeling happy and full by plate’s end!
With just 15 minutes in the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, let your family’s smiles be your best reward!
What is sweet cornbread?
Give your next meal the Southern comfort it deserves!
This sweet cornbread recipe includes a cornmeal mix, sugar, butter – and secret ingredients, crushed pineapple, and cream cheese.
The final product is light and sweet – but can still hold its own when presented alongside all the other good food on the table!
Shop my kitchenware!
Instant Pot Omni Plus oven | Amazon 8″ cast iron skillet | Nordic Ware cornbread skillet | Anthropologie cloth napkin | The Pioneer Woman measuring bowls | Kate Aspen heart-shaped measuring spoons | Amazon small rubber spatula | Amazon stainless steel mixing bowl |
Ingredients for Black folks Southern sweet cornbread recipe
- 8.5 oz. box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- ¾ a cup of crushed pineapple (fresh or canned)
- ¼ a cup of pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
- 8 oz. of whipped cream cheese
Instructions for Black folks Southern sweet cornbread recipe
- Preheat the conventional oven or Instant Pot Omni Plus oven to bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes (although you may not use all of this time for melting the butter).
- Place the butter in an 8-inch baking pan or cast-iron skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
- While the butter is melting, combine the Jiffy box mix, crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, sugar, and cream cheese in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter from the baking pan into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients.
- Pour the cornbread mixture into the pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. In the conventional oven for 20-25 minutes. Instant Pot Omni Plus oven for 15-18 minutes.
- Serve this Black folks Southern sweet cornbread recipe warm, and enjoy!
Pro tips:
- I used this pre-slotted cornbread/scone skillet HERE that makes each serving size proportionate and easy to share. Using this type of pan, melt the butter in a different dish and spray the pre-slotted pan with cooking oil before baking.
- I used this pre-slotted skillet in the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven and baked it for 18 minutes.
Instructions for Black folks sweet cornbread (made from scratch)
Follow the instructions below to make this sweet cornbread recipe from scratch:
- Ingredients: 1 cup of medium grind yellow cornmeal, ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, ¾ a cup of crushed pineapple (fresh or canned), ¼ a cup of pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 8 oz. of whipped cream cheese
- Preheat the conventional oven or Instant Pot Omni Plus oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (although you may not use all of this time for melting the butter).
- Place the butter in an 8-inch baking pan or skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
- While the butter is melting, combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar) with the wet ingredients (pineapple, pineapple juice, and cream cheese) in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter from the baking pan into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
- Pour the cornbread batter into the baking pan or skillet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. In the conventional oven, bake for 20-25 minutes. In the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, bake for 15-18 minutes.
- Serve this Black folks Southern sweet homemade cornbread warm, and enjoy!
What is the best type of cornmeal to use for cornbread?
I’d recommend yellow cornmeal for this Southern recipe for sweet cornbread because it’s made from the sweeter yellow corn kernel.
Will this recipe work with white cornmeal?
Yes, you could interchange yellow cornmeal for white.
The taste is similar and good, but yellow cornmeal is sweeter than white. This is because one comes from white corn kernels, while the other is from the sweeter yellow kernels of corn.
What to serve with sweet cornbread?
What should you serve with cornbread?
One of my favorite ways to eat this traditional dish is served with honey butter or a fruit jam for the perfect flavor!
I haven’t found a soul food menu that doesn’t include cornbread. So here are a few Southern soul food dishes to pair with this sweet cornbread appetizer:
- Southern-style chicken
- Air fryer crispy buttermilk chicken
- Black folks chicken and dressing
- Leftover turkey ideas
- Cornbread dressing
- Southern baked mac and cheese
- Heirloom tomato watermelon salad
- Cranberry sauce cornbread
- Southern banana pudding the Black way
Instant Pot gumbo, boils, stews, soups, and chili always pairs well with sweet Southern cornbread alongside a nice glass of iced tea or craft beer!
From savory dishes like homemade chili to sweeter ones like banana pudding, there isn’t anything our golden goodness (cornbread) can’t enhance even better than before!
What is the ideal cornbread texture?
I know a lot of people who love cornbread. However, it can get a little difficult to enjoy when the texture is too dense, too dry, or too crumbly.
The perfect cornbread is a delicate balance of crispy edges, a moist interior, and flavorful sweetness.
For an ideal texture, your batter should be moist and a little watery. In the case of dense and thick batter, you might end up with a hard and dry cornbread.
How can you make this sweet cornbread recipe into sweet cornbread muffins?
If you want to turn this sweet cornbread recipe into sweet cornbread muffins, you certainly can!
Rather than spreading the batter in a cast-iron skillet, divide the batter between muffin cups or a muffin pan.
What kind of baking dish should you use?
What kind of pan should this be baked in?
This recipe is pretty straightforward if you use a recommended 8″ cast-iron skillet.
But if you plan to go with the cornbread muffin recipe, keep in mind that they often bake faster than skillet cornbread, so you should keep an eye on them.
How many servings doe this recipe yield?
This recipe yields 8 slices of cornbread.
I used this pre-slotted cornbread/scone skillet HERE that makes each serving size proportionate.
If baking the batter as cornbread muffins instead, should the bake time be the same?
Are there any changes to make these into muffins?
First, it’s important to note that the baking time will not be the same if you plan to make muffins instead. Because cornbread muffins cook faster than sweet cornbread in a skillet.
You should bake them with a starting time of 20 minutes in a conventional oven while keeping an eye on them for golden brown color or when a toothpick inserted in them comes out clean.
In the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, start with a baking time of 10 minutes.
You may also like this sweet and savory cornbread recipe
Can you use this recipe and put it in muffin tins?
This recipe can be made in many different sizes and shapes. You could even make them into muffins or mini square muffin tins if you want!
Will this bake the same in anything else?
However, remember that the size of your pan will affect how long it takes for yours to bake through.
So keep an eye on these little guys as they might need more or less time because not all pans are created equal when cooking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit with butter.
What makes this the best cornbread?
It’s sweet, but not too much. Soft and moist with just enough chewiness from the crumbly texture of cornmeal combined beautifully with the sweet pineapple in this recipe for one delicious bite after another!
You can make this recipe your own by changing up proportions or ingredients if you feel more creative.
How do you store leftover sweet cornbread?
This sweet and moist cornbread is perfect for your next day’s breakfast, topped with a slice of cheese/butter or drizzled with honey.
But first, you have to deal with the leftover storage process. For best results, allow the cornbread to cool before wrapping it in plastic wrap.
You can store it for up to three days at room temperature or one week refrigerated in an airtight container.
Would this sweet cornbread recipe work in a 9×13 pan?
The answer is – maybe.
I recommend an 8″ size skillet or baking pan to comfortably bake this cornbread with a nice thickness.
A larger skillet or pan may yield a flat cornbread because the batter will spread out more in the pan.
Can you bake cornbread in a glass dish?
It might seem like an odd question, but the answer is yes.
Some people would argue that baking cornbread in a glass baking dish gives the bread a crispy crust and a moist interior.
Can you line the baking pan with parchment paper?
Do you love parchment paper like me?
Then I’m sorry to say, this is one recipe that you won’t need it. (womp, womp!)
No need to line the baking pan with parchment paper. The melted butter will stop the cornbread from sticking.
Will Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix work fine with this in place of cornmeal?
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix is your best consideration if you’re unfamiliar with making cornbread from scratch with cornmeal. (The recipe for sweet cornbread from scratch is included in the recipe card below.)
The muffin mix is a pre-made mix that’s often used as an ingredient in baking recipes.
It doesn’t require too many additional ingredients, making it easy to use on a busy morning. Plus, the added benefit of saving you time to make this easy cornbread recipe.
What can you do to make Jiffy cornbread moister?
This recipe has been around for years, but many people have had trouble making it moist enough.
The secret?
The pineapple and cream cheese! Adding a little butter to the batter goes a long way too!
Another easy fix for dry cornbread is to add creamed corn, yogurt, or applesauce. Or try egg yolks, or heavy whipping cream, which will thicken up the cornbread batter nicely.
What can you substitute for vegetable oil in cornbread?
You may use any oil you prefer, like canola or avocado.
How do you know when cornbread is done?
The best way to tell when cornbread is done is by looking at the color.
If it has a golden-brown crust, then you’re probably all set.
Another way to know if it’s done is by using a toothpick. After the bread has cooled, poke the toothpick in the center of the bread and pull it out.
If there are moist crumbs on the toothpick, then your cornbread is not entirely done yet!
However, if the toothpick comes out clean, it means your cornbread is ready.
Can you substitute the sugar with honey?
Many people ask a common question: “Can you substitute honey for sugar in a sweet cornbread recipe?”
This is a difficult one to answer because it depends on the type of cornbread. If it’s regular-style cornbread made with white flour and cornmeal, you can substitute the honey for sugar. Or consider brown sugar or maple syrup.
However, if it’s gluten-free or whole wheat style, then no, you should not try replacing the sugars.
See how simple, flexible, and adaptable this recipe is?
Make this sweet cornbread with a corn muffin mix or homemade from scratch.
Follow the recipe instructions exactly, or add your favorite ingredient to the mix to make it your own!
What do you think of this Black folks Southern sweet cornbread recipe?
If you like this recipe, you’ll love these best soul food cornbread recipe roundup ideas HERE!
With so many African American recipes, which one will you try first?
Comment below and lemme know.
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Ingredients
- 8 ½ oz cornbread mix 1 box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- ¾ cup pineapple crushed , fresh or canned
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar granulated
- 8 oz cream cheese whipped
Instructions
- Preheat the conventional oven or Instant Pot Omni Plus oven to bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes (although you may not use all of this time for melting the butter).
- Place the butter in an 8-inch baking pan or cast-iron skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
- While the butter is melting, combine the Jiffy box mix, crushed pineapple, pineapple juice, sugar, and cream cheese in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter from the baking pan into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients.
- Pour the cornbread mixture into the pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. In the conventional oven for 20-25 minutes. Instant Pot Omni Plus oven for 15-18 minutes.
- Serve sweet cornbread warm, and enjoy!
* See the below instructions for sweet cornbread made from scratch.
Video
Notes
Instructions for sweet cornbread (made from scratch)
Follow the instructions below to make this cornbread with corn recipe from scratch:- Ingredients: 1 cup of medium grind yellow cornmeal, ⅔ cup of all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, ¾ a cup of crushed pineapple (fresh or canned), ¼ a cup of pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 8 oz. of whipped cream cheese
- Preheat the conventional oven or Instant Pot Omni Plus oven to bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes (although you may not use all of this time for melting the butter).
- Place the butter in an 8-inch baking pan or skillet and melt in the oven for approximately 5 minutes.
- While the butter is melting, combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar) with the wet ingredients (pineapple, pineapple juice, and cream cheese) in a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Pour the melted butter from the baking pan into the mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
- Pour the cornbread batter into the baking pan or skillet.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. In the conventional oven, bake for 20-25 minutes. In the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, bake for 15-18 minutes.
- Serve sweet homemade cornbread warm, and enjoy!
- I used this pre-slotted cornbread/scone skillet HERE that makes each serving size proportionate and easy to share. Using this type of pan, melt the butter in a different dish and spray the pre-slotted pan with cooking oil before baking.
- I used this pre-slotted skillet in the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven and baked it for 18 minutes.
Will this bake the same in anything else?
This recipe is pretty straightforward if you use a recommended 8" cast-iron skillet. But if you plan to go with a cornbread muffin recipe, keep in mind that they often bake faster than skillet cornbread, so you should keep an eye on them. The size of your pan will affect how long it takes to bake through. So keep an eye out as it might need more or less time because not all pans are created equal when cooking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit with butter.How do you know when cornbread is done?
The best way to tell when cornbread is done is by looking at the color. If it has a golden-brown crust, then you’re probably all set. Another way to know if it’s done is by using a toothpick. After the bread has cooled, poke the toothpick in the center of the bread and pull it out. If there are moist crumbs on the toothpick, then your cornbread is not entirely done yet! However, if the toothpick comes out clean, it means your cornbread is ready.
Nutrition
I’m sure this will be a hit for every family gathering!
Yes, it’s a favorite in out house!