Looking for a simple cornbread that you can whip up in no time? This is it!

When it comes to comfort food, good cornbread is at the top of the list for most Southerners. Don't worry if you don't have a cast iron skillet; it makes this turn out better, but you can also bake this in a regular cake pan.

Whether you want to serve it with butter and honey or crumble it into some soup beans, this basic recipe will produce a beautiful golden bread with a light, airy texture.

Easy Skillet Cornbread Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of salted butter, melted (1/2 cup)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup self-rising cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare your cast iron skillet by coating it lightly with a bit of the melted butter. Measure out your dry ingredients and set them aside in a bowl.

Keep your skillet in the oven as it heats up, and remove it when the batter is ready. This is the secret to a crispy bottom crust if that's what you prefer. Skip this step if you prefer a tender cornbread.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, milk and eggs. Mix in the dry ingredients in batches, being careful to avoid creating lumps. An electric mixer helps, but you can certainly do this by hand as well. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve warm with butter and honey, or just as is.

Variations:

• While this recipe produces a slightly sweet cornbread, you can easily make this savory by leaving out the sugar and adding things like shredded cheddar cheese or diced jalapeño peppers. Be sure to change your seasonings too, and try adding garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, or any other herbs that would complement your add-ins.
• The texture of this cornbread is slightly crumbly. If you prefer a denser, moist cornbread, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to your batter when you're mixing the wet ingredients.
• If you don't have a cast iron skillet, simply bake this in a 9-inch cake round cake pan. Just remember to butter it well so the cornbread doesn't stick to the bottom.
• Using buttermilk in place of the whole make produces a slightly tangy flavor. If you do this substitution, use 1 cup of buttermilk.
• This mixture would make great muffins too; bake them for just 18-20 minutes in paper cupcake liners.
• If you can't find self-rising cornmeal, then use regular cornmeal. 1 cup of cornmeal will need 1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Once baked, this cornbread keeps really well in both the refrigerator or freezer. Reheat it in the oven or microwave before serving. It's so easy to make, though, you can whip up the batter in mere minutes. You should give it a try!