Buttermilk bacon Cornbread
I reckon cornbread is about as South African as you can get but seldom see it anywhere. Just as an aside, when you next make pap for the braai, add a tin of sweetcorn about 20 minutes before you serve it, it’s really great.
back to the cornbread. This cornbread recipe uses whole kernels which I like as a sweet pop in the mouth as you are munching your way through it. The buttermilk makes a huge difference so don’t be tempted to substitute and if you are a bacon fan like me, put a few strips of bacon over the top… YUM. It’s been so hot lately and is definitely braai time, but try it with a stew like the tomato Bredie or as a side with the Greek style Lamb shanks, it’s a real winner. Makes a large loaf, I use a 23x23x9cm (approximate) tin
What you need
2 cups cake flour
1 cup white corn meal (mielie meal)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
100ml vegetable/sunflower oil
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup corn kernels (not sweetcorn0
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 packet (125g) streaky bacon cut into pieces (optional)
The process
Heat your oven to 200 Celsius and grease your tin well with butter, don’t be shy with the butter.
In a large bowl add the flour, mealie meal, salt and baking powder, make a well in the center.
In another bowl add the buttermilk, oil and egg, give it a really good whisk and then pour into the well in the dry ingredients and mix well to combine everything.
Now add the corn kernels and the cheese and use a folding motion to distribute the corn and cheese evenly.
Pour the mixture into the greased tin, cover the top with the bits of bacon(if you are using bacon) and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is beautifully browned and the bacon sizzling.
Let it cool for about 10 minutes in the tin (if you can) before you remove it or you can serve it straight from the tin.
Hi Graham
I’ve tried a few of your recipes thus far and they all rock. Thank you so much for sharing.
Although I’ll substitute the bacon with veal macon I’m sure it will taste just as good.
PS… The only place I’ve ever eaten or seen cornbread is SPUR steak ranch in Claremont, Cape Town.
Hi Razena, thanks for your input, I ran a guesthouse for a few years and we had a lot of muslim guests who we got macon in for. Happy days and sorry for the late reply, in CT taking a break 🙂
Hi Graham! OK I know this is probably a dumb question but I really am just a beginner (learning through your website:-), Is there a major difference between using cake flour or normal bread flour? Also, is Maizena considered to be mielie meal?? Can’t seem to find either in any of the stores where I live!
Hi Ryan, Bread flour is not the same as cake flour, you should be able to find both Maizena and cake flour almost anywhere. Maizena is corn flour and very fine, not Mielie meal. Cake flour brands are Snowflake, Golden Cloud or Saska, Maizena is a bokomo product. Here is what to look for in the supermarket
http://www.snowflake.co.za/snowflake.htm
http://www.bokomo.co.za/content.cfm?a=217
Happy baking bud
G
Hi Graham
Thank you for the lovely recipe; I tried it out past Saturday and WOW!! I diced the bacon and added it to the dough, instead of ontop and what a success!!
Brilliant Talita, thats what I love, making it your own. Thanks for the tip. Have a fabulous week G
Sorry for the wrong spelling of your name.
Thanks,
Michelle
No worries, happy days G
Hi Graeme,
We’re off to the bush & I want to know if I could make this cornbread in advance & freeze then put it on the fire to reheat there?
Hi Michelle, hope I got you in time, was in Mozambique fishing and made this a couple times. I hope you did freeze it, wortks for me. Happy camping G