Classic Sweet Potato Cornbread With Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe

A warm slice of cornbread can turn a meal from average to fantastic, and with a few twists and tweaks, this simple bake can be even better. Mashed recipe developer Kate Shungu brings us this classic sweet potato cornbread with cinnamon honey butter recipe. Brimming with heartwarming flavors and a sweetly spiced extra final touch, it's the perfect cornbread to bake whether you're hosting guests or dining solo.

"This is a moist, fluffy cornbread recipe, courtesy of the mashed sweet potatoes, butter, and sour cream," Shungu describes. "It's lightly sweet and pairs really nicely with the cinnamon honey butter." Aside from the mouthwatering combination, she comments, "I love how easy it is to incorporate sweet potatoes into a classic dish like cornbread." Instead of spending time cooking the spuds from scratch, she opts for a shortcut with canned sweet potatoes, "so they're ready to be mashed after draining." Use the extra minutes to whip up a decadent cinnamon honey butter to spread on top.

For this cornbread recipe, start by draining a can of cooked sweet potatoes. Shungu explains, "Canned sweet potatoes are packed in a sweet sugar syrup, so we'll drain that out," and points out, "The cornbread only needs a little sugar as a result." Next, you'll need softened butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, granulated sugar, cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and honey.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Set aside.

Place drained sweet potatoes in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until mashed.

Add melted butter, eggs, sour cream, milk, and sugar, and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.

Fold flour mixture into the sweet potato mixture.

Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Meanwhile, place remaining 4 tablespoons softened butter, cinnamon, and honey in a medium bowl.

Beat with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.

Slice cornbread and serve with cinnamon honey butter.

Of course, no one would bat an eye if you simply served a warm slice of sweet potato cornbread with a layer of cinnamon honey butter. That being said, it also makes an excellent starchy side dish to elevate a simple meal. Shungu comments, "I love serving this with roast chicken or barbecue chicken." Thanks to its heartiness and comforting flavors, she points out, "It's especially nice in the fall or winter, but, truthfully, I'd devour this any time of year."

You might think that sweet potato cornbread is enough of a treat by itself, but Shungu doesn't just include the seasoned butter as an afterthought. "The cinnamon honey butter will take the cornbread from good to great — don't skip it!" she instructs. We'll take her word for it; after all, the thought of butter melting onto the warm cornbread is enough to make us trust her opinion.

After you've enjoyed a first serving of sweet potato cornbread, you'll want to properly store any leftovers so you can savor it at peak freshness for a few more days. "The cornbread can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator in a covered container," Shungu recommends. Meanwhile, if you live alone or want to make a batch of cornbread for a rainy day, she notes, "It'll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months, too."

While the cornbread is best served warm from the oven, if you are planning to serve it at a dinner party, you can at least get a head start on the cinnamon honey butter. "You can make the butter ahead of time," Shungu says. "Let it come to room temperature before serving. You don't need to whip it again, but it'll be spreadable at room temperature."