What Goes In
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Cook the Sweet Potatoes
Heat oven to 425F with rack in the middle.
Pierce sweet potatoes all over with a fork – prevents microwave explosions.
Microwave on a plate 10-15 minutes until tender and skins look shiny. Turn every 5 minutes.
Split them open immediately to let steam out.
Make the Batter
When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and mash smooth. You need about 1 3/4 cups. Toss the skins.
In a large bowl, whisk milk, melted butter, and eggs.
In another bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Stir mashed sweet potato into wet ingredients, then fold in dry ingredients just until combined. Overmixing makes it dense.
Bake
Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high ~3 minutes until bubbling.
Tilt to coat bottom and sides – this makes the crispy crust.
Pour in batter and spread evenly.
Bake 25-30 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and Serve
Rest in skillet on a wire rack for 1 hour. Don’t rush this or it’ll crumble.
Loosen edges with a spatula, flip onto a cutting board.
Cut into wedges.
Cast iron works best but any oven-safe nonstick is fine. Light brown sugar keeps it subtle – use dark brown for more molasses flavor. The hour cooling time isn’t optional.
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes unpeeled
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 stick unsalted butter melted
- 4 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
Instructions
- Pierce sweet potatoes and microwave 10-15 minutes until tender, turning every 5 minutes.
- Split potatoes to release steam, cool slightly, then scoop out flesh and mash (need 1 3/4 cups).
- Whisk milk, melted butter and eggs in large bowl.
- Mix cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in separate bowl.
- Stir mashed sweet potato into wet ingredients, then fold in dry ingredients just until combined.
- Heat oven to 425F.
- Melt 1 tbsp butter in 10-inch cast iron skillet until bubbling, coat sides.
- Pour batter into skillet, spread evenly.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until golden and toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in skillet on wire rack 1 hour.
- Loosen edges, flip onto cutting board and slice into wedges.
