Cooked and mashed sweet potato adds a lightly sweet flavor and moist texture to your classic cornbread. This sweet potato cornbread is baked in a cast iron skillet and comes together in just over 30 minutes for a perfect weeknight or holiday side dish.
I know that most people would consider sweet potato cornbread to be a fall recipe, but in my family, sweet potatoes are a year-round kind of ingredient.
Feed us a slice of sweet potato pie or make us a batch of fluffy sweet potato biscuits any time of the year and we’ll be absolutely delighted.
So tender sweet potato cornbread? Always a win around here.
Why add mashed sweet potato to cornbread?
I know that a lot of people struggle with how dry traditional cornbread can often be.
Using buttermilk helps with this, since the lactic acid in the buttermilk helps give baked goods a tender crumb and makes them a bit more moist.
But adding mashed sweet potato also keeps the cornbread from getting too dry.
In addition to adding a light sweetness and a gorgeous orange color, the moisture in the sweet potato puree helps keep the cornbread from drying out. Think of it as a bit of extra insurance against over-baking.
If you don’t like super sweet cornbread, don’t worry. This recipe isn’t super sweet! It’s still savory enough to serve alongside your favorite cozy soups and stews, turkey sweet potato chili or easy white bean chicken chili, or even collard greens.
Stephie’s testing notes
- Place the cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats. This gives the cornbread crispier edges and a better base without over-baking.
- Feel free to play with the sweetness. I used honey paired with the sweet potato flavor to give the cornbread a light sweetness that, in my opinion, is just right. But you easily can add a bit of sugar with the dry ingredients if you prefer a sweeter cornbread!
- Don’t stress if you’re out of buttermilk. Make a simple buttermilk substitute by whisking together 1/4 cup sour cream and 3/4 cup whole milk OR add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to a measuring cup and fill with while milk to the 1 cup line. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the batter.
Ingredients and substitutions
For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
- Vegetable oil: For greasing the skillet. Any neutral, high-heat oil will work, such as grapeseed oil or avocado oil.
- Cornmeal: I typically buy standard yellow cornmeal. Nothing fancy needed here!
- All-purpose flour: Adding flour along with the cornmeal helps the cornbread hold together and gives it a lighter crumb than just using cornmeal alone.
- Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda
- Salt: Fine sea salt is my go-to.
- Buttermilk: Don’t skip this! Use a buttermilk substitute if you’re out.
- Melted butter: You can swap this for an equal amount of a neutral-flavored oil if you prefer.
- Honey: I like the flavor that honey adds and the way it complements the sweet potato in this recipe. You can use maple syrup if needed.
- Eggs: For binding and a bit of leavening.
- Cooked and mashed sweet potato: Cook whole sweet potatoes in the microwave or oven until fork tender, or peel, cube, and boil the potatoes in a pot of water. Mash the cooked potatoes with a fork or potato masher; they don’t need to be perfectly smooth.
How to make this sweet potato cornbread recipe
Grab your favorite cast iron skillet, preferably a 10-inch one. Add the oil to the skillet and use a paper towel or even a piece of parchment paper (my mom used to use a piece of wax paper) to coat the inside of the skillet with the oil.
Pop the skillet into the oven while it preheats.
From there, we’re going to follow a pretty standard method for making a quick bread. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set those aside.
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, honey, and eggs. Add the mashed sweet potato and whisk until really well combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Pour the sweet potato cornbread batter into the hot skillet and bake until puffed, deeply golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serve hot with butter, honey, or even some cinnamon honey butter if you’re feeling adventurous.
Storage tips
I find that leftovers of this sweet potato cornbread keeps better than traditional cornbread, since the sweet potato keeps it from drying out as fast.
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store at room temperature for 1-2 days. I like to warm leftovers in the microwave for about 30 seconds before serving.
If you want to freeze leftovers, wrap the slices in plastic wrap before placing them in a zip-top freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to a month.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely. I love skillet cornbread, but this recipe works just as well in a standard 9-inch cake pan! Grease the pan before adding the batter; there’s no need to preheat the pan in the oven first.
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
Instructions
- Add the vegetable oil to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and use a piece of parchment or waxed paper to evenly coat the inside of the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven while it preheats. Preheat oven to 425°F.1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.1 ¼ cups cornmeal, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, honey, and eggs. Whisk in the mashed sweet potato until well combined.1 cup buttermilk, ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup honey, 2 large eggs, 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Spread the batter into the preheated skillet. Bake for 18-23 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Serve warm with butter and additional honey as desired.
Notes
Ingredients
- If you prefer a slightly sweeter cornbread, you can add up to 2 tablespoons granulated or light brown sugar with the dry ingredients.
- Cook one large or two small sweet potatoes to get 1 cup of mashed sweet potato. To cook the potatoes:
- Poke the whole sweet potatoes all over with a fork or paring knife. Microwave on high until cooked through (time will depend on the size of the potatoes—small potatoes usually need 5-7 minutes, while large potatoes may need 10+ minutes). Let cool slightly, then scoop out the sweet potato flesh and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Poke the whole sweet potatoes all over with a fork or paring knife. Wrap in foil and bake at 425°F for 40-50 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh and mash with a fork or potato masher
Equipment
- If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, you can bake the cornbread in a greased 9-inch cake pan. You do not need to preheat the pan in the oven before adding the batter.
Nutrition
About Stephie
Stephie is the creator of Stephie Cooks, a food blog that focuses on creating memories around the food we share, with family recipes at the site’s heart. Stephie lives in Central Illinois with her husband, daughter, and a menagerie of cats and dogs. When she’s not in the kitchen or at her computer writing, you can usually find her curled up with a book or working on one of her many grandma-esque hobbies. Learn more >