previous cornbread problem?

Question

ok, I am the one with the cornbread problem (Mobile, AL to Weatherford, TX). I have a brand new elec oven (the builder installed it, I would have never done that); Last week, my old recipe with Martha White cornmeal and Martha White flour did not work here, so this week, I used different cornmeal and flour, but used the same recipe. It still didn't do right.

Last week:
I used 1 cp milk (not water); 2 eggs, 1/3 cp sugar, 1/4 melted Crisco shortening, 1.5 cps MW cornmeal, 1 cup MW flour; preheated oven, baked at 450 deg., 18 minutes.

This week, I used the same recipe (however, added 2 tsp baking powder) with different cornmeal and flour, still didn't come out right! I am out of Martha White cornmeal and flour and can't find it here (yikes).

What do I need to do to adjust my recipe (hopefully, I can find MW somewhere) to make the cornbread rise like it used to?

Answer 1

Try equal amounts of corn meal and flour
1 c flour
1 c cornmeal
4 tsp baking powder
Bake in 425'F oven 20-25 minutes
I use 1/2 stick of oleo instead of shortening
I also use Gold Medal flour and Aunt Jemima cornmeal
Let us know how whatever you try turns out okay?

Answer 2

I posted an answer on the other one, but I'm going to post one here too. It is definitely the altitude that is the problem. The recipe my mother gave me that works really good is 1 cup Self Rising Flour, we use MW too, but if you can't find it there, any self rising will do. Self Rising works a lot better than just standard flour and baking powder since ratio is already correct. 1 cup of cornmeal, 1 egg, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup melted shortening/butter/bacon grease, add buttermilk until the consistency of cake batter, usually 2 cups. Bake at 450 for 30 minutes. 18 minutes is just not going to be enough at that altitude. The self rising flour will help too. After twenty minutes check it, since it might be a little different for that area, but I've had to cook it up to 40 minutes before to get it to rise properly. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Here's the recipe my family has loved for over 20 years.

Cornbread
1 c. cornmeal (white or yellow ~ your choice)
1 c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/8 c. sugar
1 c. milk
1/3 c. oil
1 egg

Pour enough oil to thinly coat the bottom into a 9 inch cast iron skillet and put it into the oven while you preheat to 450 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Separately, combine wet ingredients, making sure to beat the egg. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Pour into hot cast iron skillet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Note: if you like a sweeter cornbread, make the amount of sugar 1/4 cup. You can add cheese, jalapeno peppers, corn, or whatever suits you to this recipe. Just remember that if you add an ingredient that is wet to this recipe to lessen the amount of milk a little.

Answer 4

Light Corn Bread

Source: Better Homes and Gardens
Prep: 10 min.
Bake: 20 min
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies, drained (optional)
Nonstick spray coating

Directions
In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small mixing bowl beat egg whites, milk, oil, and green chilies, if desired. Stir into dry ingredients just until mixed.

Spray a 9x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick spray coating. Pour batter into pan. Bake in a 400 degree F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Makes 12 servings.

Answer 5

You might try adjusting you recipe to use 4 tsp baking powder, decrease the cornmeal to 1 cup, add 3/4 tsp of salt, turn the temperature down to 425 degrees and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. I have used your recipe with these changes for years and it comes out perfect every time. You might try baking it in a well seasoned cast iron skillet also, but just be sure to add a couple of tsp of Crisco and heat the pan in the oven until it is melted and the pan is hot. If this doesn't work you might want to get your new oven re-calibrated.

Answer 6

This is a recipe from Texas
Cornbread is best baked in a cast-iron skillet but, if you don't have one, a square Pyrex dish will do just fine. This recipe works well for muffins or corn sticks, too.
2 cups corn meal (white or yellow - doesn't affect taste)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons melted shortening or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon bacon drippings, for pan
Preheat oven to 450°F. Put the bacon drippings in your skillet or baking dish, and set it in the oven for 4 or 5 minutes. You want the drippings hot. (If using a muffin tin or cornstick molds, divide the bacon drippings evenly.)
Stir together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the beaten egg, buttermilk and oil. Quickly combine the cornmeal mixture with the buttermilk mixture, stirring just enough to moisten.

Pour at once into hot skillet, pan, muffin tins or corn stick molds. Bake about 12 to 15 minutes for muffins or corn sticks, and 18 to 20 minutes for pan or skillet. Cornbread will begin to pull away from sides of pan. Makes about a dozen muffins, corn sticks or pieces. Enjoy hot with lots of butter.

Note: If you want your cornbread to rise nicely, let as little time as possible elapse between combining the dry and liquid ingredients and putting it in the oven. Once the baking powder, baking soda and buttermilk get together, the rising action begins. If you mix up the batter and then have a 10-minute telephone conversation before getting the batter in the oven, the rising action will have come and gone, and you'll have flat cornbread.

Answer 7

You need to make sure your baking powder/soda is fresh. Check the date underneath it, and be sure it hasn't gotten wet. Heck, holiday baking is very soon, go ahead and spend a buck-fifty and buy a new can.

Incidently, I never have trouble w/ this cornbread recipe!

** Best Ever Cornbread **

1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup A/P flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup evaporated milk
½ stick of butter, melted
1 egg

Preheat oven to 450ºF. Grease a 9" cast iron skillet and warm it in the oven during preheat.

Whisk all dry ingredients together in large bowl. Whisk all wet ingredients together, then add to dry ingredients. Pour into skillet, and bake for 15 minutes. Yield: 4-6 servings

--"Deep in the Heart" cookbook