SWEET POTATO CORNBREAD

Early Alabamians’ diet mostly consisted of the many dishes that can be made from dried corn. The addition of sweet potatoes makes this cornbread unique and exceptionally moist. The cornbread is already fairly sweet, but the addition of a drizzle of warm Sorghum Butter Sauce makes it over-the-top delicious.

1/4 pound sweet potatoes
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup whole milk
2 cups cornmeal
Sorghum Butter Sauce (see below)

1. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes. Boil in an inch of water, covered, until fork tender. Drain the water and mash with a fork. Allow to cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until mixture is light and creamy.
4. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the sweet potatoes.
5. Gently whisk the eggs in a small bowl and then add eggs to the sugar-butter mixture.
6. Add the milk and then the cornmeal and stir to combine. Pour into a greased casserole or cast-iron skillet and bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until set and light golden brown on top. Serve warm from the oven with warm Sorghum Butter Sauce drizzled over top. Serves 8.

Extracted from Mobile Bay Magazine where they say “Adapted from the Gulf City Cookbook, United Brethren Publishing House, 1878”.