Southern Corn Bread

1 cup white flour
1 cup corn meal
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. butter (again)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put 2 tbsp. of butter in a cast iron skillet or 8" or 9" square pan. Place in oven until hot and the butter melts. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients. Combine milk and egg, lightly beat together. Add egg and milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until smooth. Add 2 tbsp. of melted butter to the batter. Pour batter into the pre-heated skillet or pan. Bake 20-25 minutes.

You can use muffin pans or corn stick pans. Put 1/2 tsp. of butter in each muffin cup or corn stick slot, add batter. Bake 15-20 minutes.

-- Florence Jessie Meredith Sproul, 1914-2004


Grandma Sproul made this in the winter. She refined the ingredients over the years until it was just the way she liked it. Meredith continues to use this regularly.

Jennifer's Japanese college roommate, Nahoko, loved this cornbread. For some reason, it tasted like home to her. Meredith would often send her back to her dormitory with hot cornbread.