My go-to cornbread recipe! It's fluffy, soft and tender, moist, flavorful and the perfect comforting side dish - especially when served warm and finished with whipped honey butter.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together cornmeal and buttermilk until well blended, allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 13 by 9-inch baking dish, set aside.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside.
Add melted butter, applesauce, sugar, honey and eggs to cornmeal mixture and whisk until well combine.
Stir in dry ingredients and whisk just until combined (small lumps like pancake batter are fine).
Pour mixture into prepared baking dish, spread into an even layer and bake 23 - 30 minutes (some said their's takes longer) until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack 5 - 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with honey or whipped honey butter (recipe in notes below). Store in an airtight container.
Notes
*Salted butter will work great too, just reduce salt in recipe to 1/2 tsp.
**If measuring from a bottle of applesauce use 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp applesauce.
***I like it with a lighter sweetness so I use 1/4 cup sugar but if you like it sweeter use 1/2 cup.
Nutrition estimate based on using 1/4 cup sugar and does not include honey butter.
OPTIONAL HONEY BUTTERIn a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, whip together 1/2 cup softened salted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.