Sweet Potato Cornbread, whole grain delicious

Sweet Potato Cornbread is the happy collision of roasted sweet potatoes and the best pan of cornbread you will ever eat! And it doesn't take much to accomplish this. All you need to do is throw an extra sweet potato into the oven, the next time you bake sweet potatoes. 

Frugal happenings make for some delicious recipes!

To be perfectly honest this recipe was born of frugality. And while we are sharing about frugality and the recipes that come along in the mixing of no waste and something new to eat, I have to honestly confess, they all don't all turn out this good! Seriously, they don't.

But let me just say, this happy dance of frugality and cooking did in fact turn out delicious! You see, I try very hard to make the most of everything, including what happens in the kitchen. Around here we cook with what we have, and being so far from town, make due or do without. Because of that, our kitchen philosophy is pretty easy going. We practice a "no waste, no worry" style and working environment. And Sweet Potato Cornbread came out of, that kitchen!  

This also might help...

But let me explain, this just might clear it all up! When I bake regular potatoes in the oven, I always toss in a few extra to make hash browns or fried potatoes for another meal. Personally, I am a big fan of fried potatoes with the skins on. And when I bake sweet potatoes for our evening meal, I usually add one more to the oven. That soft-baked to caramel deliciousness, sweet potato makes a great lunch with a bit of butter the next day. I have enjoyed this for lunch many times, right at my desk, during the working years.

But there was this one time I never got around to actually eating it for lunch...and I don't remember why. That baked sweet potato sat in the fridge for a couple of days. I tried really hard (I really did!) to work up the affection needed to take that sorry-looking wrinkled sweet tater to work with me for lunch. But I did not do it. When I got home from work, I knew I needed to do something with the sweet potato or throw it out! And as it turned out, my failure to eat it for lunch turned into one of the best pans of cornbread in a long time!  

Creative decisions are where great recipes are made!

Sometimes a great recipe like this one for Sweet Potato Cornbread is not from what you did, but from something that you didn't do. Like eat a baked sweet potato for lunch! That night the Frugality Superhero wannabe in me struck. And, she struck hard! "Do the right thing!" she said. "Don't let that baked sweet potato go to waste." So I did what I needed to do, I got busy cooking! I mashed that sweet potato until it was smooth and creamy and added it to a pan of cornbread. 

And oh my gosh what a delicious pan of cornbread this turned out to be. So good, tender, and still so easy. By the way, should you wish to make a pan of Sweet Potato Cornbread and have no sweet potatoes to roast, or left over, just know that mashed canned sweet potatoes will also work. 

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• cornmeal OR masa cornmeal
• whole wheat flour
• organic sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• baked sweet potato
• eggs
• oil
• milk
• coconut oil

You will also need the following:

• cast iron skillet
• measuring cups
• large mixing bowl
• stirring spoon

Now we are ready to begin!

Sweet Potato Cornbread

Sweet Potato Cornbread
by the seat of my pants!
inspired by: our love of cornbread and sweet potatoes!
425-degree oven

UPDATED: 10.01.2023

Prepare the skillet while the oven is preheating, add 1-2 T coconut oil to the pan. Add the pan to the oven, the oil will melt and the pan will get hot. Note:  The more coconut oil used, the crunchier the crust!

1 c cornmeal OR tamale (masa) cornmeal, see note below
1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 - 1/2 c organic sugar, choose your sweetness level
3 t baking powder
3/4 t salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium-size bowl, whisk to combine all ingredients well. 

Make a "well" in the center of the dry ingredients, into the well add:

1 small to medium roasted sweet potato, peeled, mashed until smooth 

OR

1 c mashed canned (well-drained) sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1/3 c oil
1 1/3 c milk or,  IF using the masa flour increase milk to 1 1/2 cups

Using the same whisk, beat the liquid ingredients together until no streaks of egg remain. 

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. 

Do Not Over Mix.

When the oven is preheated, carefully remove the skillet (remember it is hot!) and swirl the melted oil to cover the bottom and 1/2 way up the sides of the pan. 

Pour cornbread batter into the pan, smoothing to the edges if necessary. 

Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 400-degrees. 

Bake 20-25 minutes or until tests "done" in your oven. 

Remove let cool briefly, then cut into 8 pieces.

Note: tamale (masa) cornmeal makes a smoother textured cornbread with a very pleasing flavor! 

Storage options for Sweet Potato Cornbread. Store at room temperature sealed with plastic wrap or in a storage container for up to three days. If stored longer, it would be best to store covered in the refrigerator. I would not freeze Sweet Potato Cornbread, freezing cornbread seems to dry it out. 

 

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Sweet Potato Cornbread has been included below. 

You may also enjoy:

5 Ingredient Banana Bread.

#WholeWheatThat’sGoodToEat!

#wholefoodingredients

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This recipe featured at:

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household was featured at Little Frugal Homestead. 

Scratch Made Food! & DIY Homemade Household featured at Crazy Little Love Birds Link Party. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Sweet Potato Cornbread
by the seat of my pants!
inspired by: our love of cornbread and sweet potatoes!

425-degree oven

UPDATED: 10.01.2023

Prepare the skillet while the oven is preheating, add 1-2 T coconut oil to the pan. Add the pan to the oven, the oil will melt and the pan will get hot. Note:  The more coconut oil used, the crunchier the crust!

1 c cornmeal OR tamale (masa) cornmeal, see note below
1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 - 1/2 c organic sugar, choose your sweetness level

3 t baking powder

3/4 t salt

Using the same whisk, beat the liquid ingredients together until no streaks of egg remain. 

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. 

Do Not Over Mix.

When the oven is preheated, remove the skillet (remember it is hot!) and swirl the melted oil to cover the bottom and 1/2 way up the sides of the pan. 

Pour cornbread batter into the pan, smoothing to the edges if necessary. 

Immediately reduce the oven temperature to 400-degrees. 

Bake 20 - 25 minutes or until tests "done" in your oven. 

Remove let cool briefly, then cut into 8 pieces.

Note: masa cornmeal flour makes a smoother textured cornbread with a very pleasing flavor! 

Storage options for Sweet Potato Cornbread. Store at room temperature sealed with plastic wrap or in a storage container for up to three days. If stored longer, it would be best to store covered in the refrigerator. I would not freeze Sweet Potato Cornbread, freezing cornbread seems to dry it out. 

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