Ingredients

• 1 cup Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup Medium Grind Cornmeal
• ¼ cup Sugar
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 2 Eggs
• ¼ cup unsalted Butter, softened
• 2 cups Sharp Cheddar, grated, plus more for topping
• 1 large Jalapeño Pepper, seeded and minced, plus more for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven to warm up.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until smooth. In a separate small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and butter. Mix until completely smooth.
3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and add jalapeños and cheese. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, mix until just combined. Don't over-mix, or you’ll end up with dry, tough cornbread. The batter will be pretty thick, somewhere in between a batter and a dough in consistency.
4. Lower oven temperature to 375°F. Remove skillet from the oven and grease the bottom and sides. Scrape batter into the skillet, and use the spatula or spoon to spread it around until it’s flat and even.
5. Sprinkle a generous handful of cheese over the top, then sprinkle with a few minced peppers.
6. Bake on the center rack for 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t bake it for too long, or it will be dry and crumbly.
7. Serve immediately with butter and honey, if desired. Store leftovers covered at room temperature.