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Coconut Cornbread with Honey Citrus Butter

Photo: Ashley Moyna Schwickert

BY The Editors

PUBLISHED July 24, 2024

Like so many of the best recipes, coconut cornbread was born of innovation. I created the recipe one morning when coconut oil was the only fat we had on hand, so I substituted it for butter in the classic recipe. It’s dense, moist, and golden, and became a staple on the Breaking Bread Cafe and catering menu. – Appetite for Change

 

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The founders of Appetite for Change — Michelle Horovitz, LaTasha Powell, and Princess Titus – shared this recipe when they joined us on Food with Mark Bittman.

Listen to Michelle, LaTasha, and Princess on Food with Mark Bittman
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Coconut Cornbread with Honey Citrus Butter

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Makes 9 servings of cornbread, 1 pound of butter 1x

Units Scale

Ingredients

For the Coconut Cornbread:

  • 1 cup coconut oil, plus a little more for greasing the pan
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups cornmeal
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Citrus Honey Butter:

  • Zests of 1 whole lemon, lime, and orange
  • 1 pound unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
  • 1/2 cup honey, or more to taste

Instructions

For the Coconut Cornbread:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square pan with coconut oil.
  2. In a small saucepan set over low heat, melt the coconut oil. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and honey. Set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Pour the melted coconut oil mixture over the dry ingredients. Add the egg and buttermilk mixture and stir just to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with Citrus Honey Butter.

For the Citrus Honey Butter:

  1. In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Transfer to small crocks, cover, and store in the refrigerator or freeze, until ready to use. Bring to room temperature before serving.

– Recipes from Appetite for Change: Soulful Recipes from a North Minneapolis Kitchen

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