DUFF'S SWEET SOUTHERN CORNBREAD

2 cups finely ground yellow cornmeal

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tbsp kosher salt

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Place two 8-cavity mini-loaf pans in the oven to heat up.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs and salt until uniform in color. Quickly but gently fold the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. It should be a loose batter, not a dough.

Carefully remove pans from the oven and quickly coat with the cooking spray. Divide the batter evenly 12 of the cavities. Bake until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Rotate the pans 180-degrees halfway through baking.

Immediately turn the leaves out of the pans onto a wire rack to cool. This will ensure they build a crisp crust.

food network magazine 2024