Southern Cornbread

Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a 8-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to heat while you prepare the batter. If you don't have a cast iron skillet, grease an 8-inch baking pan instead.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup or regular milk with 1/2 tsp vinegar added buttermilk, 1 beaten egg, and 2 tbsp melted, plus extra for greasing the pan butter until smooth.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined - do not overmix. A few small lumps in the batter are fine.

If using a cast iron skillet, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven using oven mitts. Add 1 tbsp optional, for authentic Southern flavor bacon fat or a tablespoon of butter to the hot skillet and swirl to coat the bottom and sides.

Pour the batter into the prepared skillet or baking pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow the cornbread to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

For traditional Southern serving, slice the cornbread into wedges and serve warm with additional butter or to taste for serving, optional honey if desired.

Leftover cornbread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.