I don’t know about you, but every time I hear sweet potato cornbread, I go full childhood flashback mode. Imagine me, around eight, wearing mismatched socks (classic), helping my grandma mash sweet potatoes for this big ‘ol casserole. She’d tease me, “You think you can handle smashing these?” And I’d grin and mash them so hard they splattered everywhere. (Foot on counter? Maybe.)
Flash forward 20 years, and I’m kneeling in my adult kitchen, scooping mashed sweet potato into cornbread batter at 10 AM—because, yes, I eat cornbread for breakfast. And I don’t even care.
Why This Sweet Potato Cornbread Is Totally Worth It
Okay, I’ve made cornbread before. Plain. Meh. Dry. But then I got wild and added sweet potato. Suddenly?
- Moist as heck (no dry mouth here)
- Sweet but not dessert-level sweet—it’s right there between breakfast and dinner like the best of both worlds
- Buttery, cozy, WITH personality
- Works for any meal—breakfast bread, dinner side, or that midnight snack you deserve
It’s like you took cornbread, gave it a hug from a sweet potato candy, and told it, “Be vulnerable, be loved.”
Ingredients You’ll Need (Simple AF)
Here’s the breakdown:
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (adds warmth)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium potato)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk (dairy or plant-based)
- 1/4 cup melted butter (or coconut oil for vegan vibe)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional Mix-Ins:
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg (fancy?)
- 1/2 cup corn kernels (fresh, canned, or thawed from frozen)
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Let’s Bake This Thing (Messy but Worth It)
Prep Work
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease or line a 9-inch square pan—or go round for dramatic purposes.
Mash That Potato
Peel, cube, boil, and mash your sweet potato. I once microwaved cube slices and forgot them for 10 minutes. What happened? Slightly charred, weird flavor, still homemade. Use a pot and fork for glory.
Mix Dry
In a big bowl: cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, soda, salt; whisk like you’re banishing granola demons.
Mix Wet Separately
Combine mashed potato, eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla. It’ll look strange—orange goop meets yellow liquid—but trust.
Bring Together
Stir the wet into dry just until moistened. Don’t overmix or you end up with cornbread tougher than your teenage emotions.
Optional Extras
Throw in cinnamon, corn kernels, nuts—whatever floats your boat. I once used cranberries and got a weird tangy vibe. Not gonna lie, that was a mood.
Bake It
Pour into pan, smooth top. Bake 22–28 min. Golden, toothpick clean-ish. Let it cool five minutes. I know that’s an eternity, but resist slicing hot or you’ll crumb-chaos-fall apart.
Why I Love Eating It Like This
Breakfast topped with yogurt and honey? Yes. Lunch with chili? Yes. Dinner with butter and a glass of wine? Absolutely.
Fun fact: I once ate half a pan when my boyfriend convinced me “sweet potato counts as a vegetable.” He was right and wrong, but mostly right. https://potatonion.com/mini-yogurt-cheesecake/
Kitchen Fails and Life Lessons
- Burnt bottom = oven ran hot. Roasted potato flavor. Ate it anyway.
- Too dry = I forgot sweet potato. Rookie error. Make sure you actually add the orange stuff.
- Stuck in pan = use parchment. Unless you like wrestling pans.
Flavor Boosters Because Why Not?
| Add-in | Effect |
|---|---|
| Cheddar & jalapeño | Savory kick |
| Rosemary & thyme | Herb garden vibes |
| Maple glaze | Mac-n-cheese meets dessert |
| Bacon bits | You hunted and cooked it yourself |
