Sweet Potato Cornbread
Updated April 2, 2025
- Total Time
- About 1 hour
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 50 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1(15-ounce) can sweet potatoes in syrup, drained
- ⅓packed cup/60 grams light brown sugar, plus 2 teaspoons
- 1cup/130 grams all-purpose flour
- 1cup/135 grams cornmeal
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼teaspoon fine salt
- ¾cup/180 grams buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼cup/56 grams salted butter, melted
- ¼cup/50 grams vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon for pan
- ¼cup/56 grams salted butter, softened
- 2tablespoons light brown sugar
For the Cornbread
For the Sweet Potato Pie Butter
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
415 calories; 21 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 15 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 362 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Make the cornbread: Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the oven rack to heat up while you make the batter.
- Step 2
In a wide bowl, use a potato masher or stiff whisk to break up the sweet potatoes into a chunky mash with small pieces, then stir in 2 teaspoons brown sugar.
- Step 3
In a small nonstick skillet, evenly spread the potato mixture. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, until the underside caramelizes. You’ll begin to see steam and hear the mash sizzle. If it hasn’t fully caramelized, continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. If it has, use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to divide the mixture into quarters, then flip each quarter to caramelize the other side, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Measure ¾ cup of the mixture for the cornbread and reserve the remainder (about 2 tablespoons) for the sweet potato pie butter.
- Step 4
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and remaining ⅓ cup brown sugar.
- Step 5
In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and ¼ cup oil. Whisk in the reserved ¾ cup potato mixture until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and stir gently until evenly combined.
- Step 6
Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven and quickly coat the bottom and sides with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Pour the batter into the pan (you should hear a little sizzle) and immediately return it to the oven.
- Step 7
Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
- Step 8
While the cornbread bakes, make the butter: Whisk together the softened butter, brown sugar and reserved 2 tablespoons sweet potato mixture until creamy and evenly mixed (see Tip).
- Step 9
Serve the warm cornbread with the sweet potato pie butter.
- Any leftover sweet potato pie butter can be dolloped on toast or pancakes, spread on crackers with cheese, stirred into oatmeal or added to baked sweet potatoes.
Private Notes
Comments
Bake the sweet potatoes like you bake regular potatoes (use a sheet pan, they’re messier), until they are soft all the way through. The amount of time will depend on how big/thick they are. Cool them. The skins will just peel off with your fingers. Mash the interiors. Do not discard the browned parts - that’s the carmelized bits.
@amr I'm so thankful someone beat me to asking about fresh vs. canned sweet potato. I cannot tolerate canned sweet potatoes, they're just not good, they're mushy and overly sweet. My heart sank in disappointment when I first read through, I was appalled and irritated all at the same time, as I will not ever have canned yams in my pantry. You're a life saver! Now I can go ahead and make this entire dish as opposed to just making the butter. I'm also shocked to find out people are still buying/using canned sweet potatoes. They're so, SO disgusting.
I made this to accompany chili for dinner. The pairing was great! I followed the recipe as written. The caramelization of the sweet potatoes makes a bit of mess and didn’t seem to add much to the final bread. Overall, it’s a tasty corn bread, but the accompanying butter was fantastic. I will definitely make again.
Made a few unexpected changes due to last minute pantry inventory shortages. Used full fat yogurt and buttermilk and canned pumpkin instead of sweet potato, so didn't caramelize the pumpkin. The result was more like a torte that calls for ice cream and/or whipped cream. But a definite success!
@Alyson It's cornbread. what do you mean 'what do you do with it'? You eat it along side a meal, any meal, any time of day. If you use an extra packet of Splenda in them you can even have it for dessert. I'll usually make 2 pans one for dinner with regular sweetness and every now and then I'll feel extra "corny" and use Splenda brown sugar, hot honey and then I'll crumble up the cornbread over vanilla ice cream or turn it into a parfait layer. My grandpap used to crumble it up in a bowl with milk for after dinner. we're not from the south, but that's not a requirement to make good cornbread. As long as you use cast iron and real butter, even a cheap box of Jiffy cornbread mix will turn into a Rockstar.
Could you make this into muffins? I don't have a cast iron skillet.
$25 @ Walmart, make sure it's a "Lodge"! Worth it's weight for charred cabbage for under chili & beans soups as another veg. Also BEST thing for any roasted vegetables!
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