Sweet Potato and Bacon Cornbread

Perfectly sweet and savory this sweet potato and bacon cornbread recipe will win your heart and fill your belly! Baked to perfection in a cast-iron skillet this recipe features mashed sweet potatoes, hickory smoked bacon and a hint of cinnamon making this a comforting take on the classic cornbread recipe an instant hit!

Cornbread can often garner criticism when it comes to presentation. Some folks like it sweet and soft like a cake, while others prefer it more savory adding in onions, peppers or cheese. I’ve always considered myself a bit of a cornbread centrist loving the sugary sweet notes, with a hint of warm spices or salty ingredients. When creating my own version of this iconic dish I wanted to have the best of both worlds. Folding in both mashed sweet potato and chopped hickory smoked bacon means you’ll get a little bit of sweet and savory in every single bite! This recipe also includes a touch of cinnamon for added sweetness and is made with buttermilk which keeps the cornbread moist and at the same time adds a little tanginess.

You can have this sweet potato and bacon cornbread as a one pour breakfast or as an accompaniment to your favorite winter stews or chili. If you’re extra fancy you can even drizzle it with a little bit a honey and have it as a dessert or midday snack. It can even serve as an alternative to cornbread stuffing during the holidays.

Grab the recipe for my sweet potato and bacon cornbread below.

Sweet Potato & Bacon Cornbread

Servings: 8 – 10 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Mashed or Pureéd Sweet Potatoes (alternatively a 16 oz can)
• 8-10 Slices of Thick Cut Bacon (Hickory Smoked preferred)
• 2 Cups Yellow Cornmeal
• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
• 2 Cups Buttermilk
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Melted Unsalted Butter
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 Can Whole Corn Kernels (16 oz)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash and peel 1-2 large sweet potatoes and boil in water for roughly 10 minutes until soft. Drain and mash with a potato masher or hand mixer until smooth. No large chunks should exist. Set aside to cool.
3. While the mashed sweet potatoes cools, prepare the bacon in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet until brown. You may need to work in batches. Remove bacon from skillet and chop. Reserve half of the bacon as a mix-in and the other half as garnish. Leave roughly two tablespoons of bacon drippings in the skillet ensuring the drippings are coated evenly on all sides of the skillet.
4. Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. Add buttermilk, sugar, melted butter, eggs, and mashed sweet potatoes to the bowl and whisk until a batter forms. Fold in half of the chopped bacon and the whole corn kernels.
5. Pour batter into the skillet with the bacon drippings and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.
6. Top with melted butter and garnish with remaining chopped bacon.