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Rhubarb and Mint Cornbread

Rhubarb, Mint and Honey Cornbread

The perfect tender, moist cornbread.  Not too cakey, not too crumbly.  With a balance of honey and cayenne pepper, and the Springtime bonus of rhubarb and mint.  What could be better to snack on?

Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 10

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp diced rhubarb , if stalks are thick and wide, slice in half lengthwise as well.
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp softened butter
  • 1 cup All Purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or more if you really want to!
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint I used strawberry scented mint, but you can use any mint
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk, see Notes below
  • 1/4 cup runny honey

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Place the 4 tbsp of butter in a small pot and melt over low heat. Set aside to cool a touch.
  3. Place the diced rhubarb (should be around 1/2 cubes) in a bowl. Sprinkle with the 1 tbsp sugar. Stir to cover evenly. Set aside.
  4. Take the softened butter and evenly grease a baking pan (it can be a 8 x10 inch, a 9 inch square, or even a 9 or 10 inch cast iron skillet)
  5. In a large bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper.
  6. Add the chopped fresh mint to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.

  7. In a small bowl, gently beat the eggs. Add the buttermilk, the runny honey (spray the measuring cup with non-stick spray first before pouring honey into it- will release much easier!) and the melted butter. Stir to combine.

  8. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ones. Gently combine without over-mixing. It doesn't have to be completely mixed.
  9. Add all but 3 tbsp of the rhubarb pieces to the mixture and give one more good stir to combine.
  10. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Take the remaining 3 tbsp of rhubarb and evenly dot the top of the batter with them, gently pushing them part way in.
  11. Bake on the centre rack until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Depending on the size of the pan, it may take between 20-30 minutes. Start checking at the 20 minute mark just in case.
  12. Cool for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

Recipe Notes

To replace buttermilk, just add 1 tbsp of white vinegar to 1 cup of milk and let sit for about 5 minutes. It will sour perfectly

You can bake up this batter as muffins as well. It will fill about 12 regular sized muffins.  Give them about 15-20 minutes in the oven, but check at the 15 minute mark.

I originally found a basic cornbread recipe in my old Bon Appetit magazine collection, and played with it! And this time around I added rhubarb!