Cornbread Loaf: Soft, Buttery, and Easy to Slice

# Cornbread Loaf: Soft, Buttery, and Easy to Slice

What makes this loaf different

The recipe balances butter and honey so the loaf lands between sweet and savory. The finished slices have buttery edges and a soft middle, which makes them ideal for slathering with butter while still warm.

Ingredients at a glance

• ½ cup melted butter (or substitute a neutral oil)
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk (or homemade substitute)
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal (fine- or medium-ground recommended)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Optional: ½ cup fresh or frozen corn for extra texture

Use fine- or medium-ground cornmeal to avoid a gritty texture. Coarse cornmeal can make the loaf dense.

Step-by-step

1. 1Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8½ x 4½-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. 2In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, honey, and eggs until combined. Whisk in the buttermilk.
3. 3In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. 4Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until just combined. Fold in optional corn if using.
5. 5Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. 6Cool before slicing.

• Slice while still slightly warm and add a swipe of butter for best texture and flavor.

Tools you'll need

• 8½ x 4½-inch or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
• Mixing bowls (one for wet ingredients, one for dry)
• Whisk

Storage and make-ahead

• Leftovers: store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
• To freeze: cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic, place in a freezer bag, and freeze whole or sliced up to 3 months.
• Make ahead: assemble the batter in the loaf pan, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Add about 5 minutes to bake time.

Nutrition snapshot (approximate)

Per slice (recipe yields about 12 slices): 254 kcal, 37 g carbs, 5 g protein, 10 g fat, 15 g sugar, 370 mg sodium.

This cornbread loaf is an easy, adaptable recipe that keeps well and fits with classic comfort-food pairings like chili or stew. The loaf format makes serving and storing simpler than traditional skillet cornbread while preserving that crisp edge and tender center people expect.