Vanilla Breakfast Cornbread

 

I adapted this recipe I am showing you today from a book I have had for a very long time entitled Bread for Breakfast, by Beth Hensperger.  It is one of my favourite books when it comes to picking out special bakes for breakfast for when you have the whole family around, the holidays or just when you want to have something a little bit special and different for breakfast or brunch.  Breads like this delicious Vanilla Breakfast Cornbread!

I love, LOVE cornbread and had never thought of making a vanilla baked one.  Boy was I ever missing out!  This is utterly fantastic! 

 

It looks really simple . . .  but don't let how simple it looks fool you into thinking this isn't special. Delicious doesn't need to be complicated or pretty! 

 

It also goes together really, really quickly.  It does take about 40 to 45 minutes in the oven, but if you get up a bit before everyone else and have gone to trouble of mixing the dry ingredients together in a bowl the night before, all you really need to do on the morning is heat the oven, beat together the wet and then mix them into the dry. 

 

 

By the time everyone else wakes up they will be slavering after that delicious smell of vanilla which has been wafting down the hall or up the stairs to their rooms!  Boy oh boy, does this smell good when it is baking! 

It is moist and delicious and served warm, cut into squares or wedges and slathered with butter it is pure bliss . . .  I like to serve some fruit on the side.  Today it was peaches.  But you could serve whatever fruit you have, or even bake some berries into the cornbread if you wished.

 

I am going to make this again at Christmas time.  I think it will go down a real treat.   I can't wait to have some more tomorrow toasted.  I'm going to slice it and pop it under the grill until it is golden brown and crisp on the edges . . .  and a tiny bit on the surface so that I can gild it with some sweet butter and maybe some jam.   I think strawberry or apricot will go down really well.  Shhh . . .  don't tell anyone!   I'll just have a smidgen of the high fruit low sugar one. 

 

*Vanilla Breakfast Corn Bread*

Makes one 8 inch round or square cake

Printable Recipe 

 

 
 

Sweet and moist, rendolent of Vanilla with a lovely grainy texture.  Feel free to add blueberries, blackberries or raspberries to this.  Excellent served warm with cold butter and fresh fruit. 

 

170g cornmeal (1 cup)

140g plain flour (1 cup)

98g of icing sugar, sifted (3/4 cup)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 large free range eggs

250ml buttermilk (1 1/4 cups)

1 TBS pure vanilla extract

6 TBS unsalted butter melted and cooled 

 

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter an 8 inch round spring form pan or an 8 inch square pan.  Set aside.  

 

 

Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, salt and soda together in a bowl.  Beat together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted butter.  Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.  Add the wet and stir until ingredients are thoroughly blended. Take care not to overmix.  Pour into the prepared pan.  

 

 

Bake in the preheated oven on the centre rack for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden around the edges.  A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out lean.  Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting into squares or wedges to serve.

The secret to a nice and tender cornbread (Like any quick bread) is not to overmix it.  If you take care not to do that you will be tastily rewarded with a beautiful breakfast treat that the whole family will enjoy!  

 

I love these napkins I used today.  I had forgotten all about them. They are the perfect rustic touch.  I love blue and white anything and seersucker.  They were throwaways from the Big House when I worked there.  She didn't like them.  Her loss was my gain because I adore them!

 Bon Appetit!