This sweet potato cornbread recipe is the perfect spin on traditional cornbread. Added sweet potatoes give the cornbread a moist and fluffy texture, while the cinnamon and brown sugar add a touch of sweetness and flavor.
This post contains affiliate links. Please read our full disclosure here.
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Cornbread is a traditional side you’ll see on many dinner tables, especially in the South. Classic cornbread recipes call for just a few ingredients, cornbread, buttermilk, eggs, butter, salt, and, depending on the household, sugar (but that’s a whole topic for debate).
This cornbread recipe is a spin on the classic, adding the beloved vegetable, sweet potato, and spices to make the flavors pop. Most people are familiar with the famous sweet potato dishes, like sweet potato casserole, candied sweet potatoes, and sweet potato pie. But this cornbread deserves a setting on the dinner table.
This recipe calls for baking the sweet potatoes first (a method I tend to stick to for all my sweet potato dishes) and adding the mashed sweet potatoes to the cornbread batter. Brown sugar and cinnamon are also added to round out the flavor of this cornbread.
Whether you’re looking for a holiday side dish or a simple weeknight meal, this sweet potato cornbread recipe is sure to please.
Ingredients Needed for Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Dry ingredients: cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda. These traditional ingredients are found in most cornbread recipes.
- Spices/Sweeteners – ground cinnamon, salt, and brown sugar give the spice and sweetness that compliment the sweet potatoes.
- Wet Ingredients: buttermilk, eggs, unsalted butter – give structure and moistness to the cornbread.
- Sweet potato – the star of this cornbread is the cooked and mashed sweet potato.
How to make Sweet Potato Cornbread
Making Mashed Sweet Potatoes
You’ll need cooked and mashed sweet potatoes to prepare this recipe. I start by roasting my whole sweet potatoes in the oven or air fryer—Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke holes into whole sweet potatoes and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, until the potatoes have softened. Peel and mash the sweet potatoes. Remove from oven and allow them to cool.
Making the Cornbread
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Add 1 Tablespoon of butter to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place it in the oven to melt the butter and heat the pan.
Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Whisk buttermilk, brown sugar, eggs, and ¼ cup of melted butter in another bowl. Add mashed sweet potatoes and stir until combined.
Add wet mixture to dry mixture and whisk until smooth.
Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes, until the cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Allow it to cool, serve, and enjoy.
Tips for the best cornbread
- Have all your ingredients at room temperature before starting. Remove items from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
- Do not over mix the batter. Overmixing can lead to tough cornbread.
- You can puree the sweet potatoes in a food processor before adding to the recipe for a smoother cornbread. If you don’t have a food processor, simply mash the sweet potatoes before adding them to the batter.
What to serve cornbread with?
Cornbread can be served with many dishes, but here are a few you may enjoy.
- Milk – Trust me, you have to try it.
- Collard Greens or Turnip Greens
- Chili
- Black Eyed Peas
How to store sweet potato cornbread
This cornbread can be store in an airtight container and will keep for 2-3 days at room temperature. It can last in the fridge for up to a week and can be frozen for up to 6 months.
Other delicious cornbread recipes
- Southern Cornbread Recipe
- Vegan Cornbread
- Slow Cooker Cornbread dressing and Classic African American Cornbread dressing
FAQ
There are many ways to prepare the mashed sweet potato. I prefer to bake a whole sweet potato in a 425 Fahrenheit degree oven for 45 minutes, until tender. Allow cooling before peeling and mashing. You could also air fry the sweet potato or microwave it.
You can make a buttermilk substitute by combining one tablespoon of either lemon juice or vinegar with 1 cup of milk. You can also use milk, dairy-free milk, or water. Just note the texture may change a little.
Yes, this recipe should give you 12 cornbread muffins. Bake at the same temperature but reduce the cooking time to about 15 minutes
I hope you like this sweet potato cornbread recipe as much as we do. If you’ve tried this recipe or any recipe on our blog, then please rate and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups cornmeal 280g
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour 94g
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder 12g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 5g
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1g
- 1 teaspoon salt 7g
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ cup brown sugar 113g
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted (56g) + 1 Tablespoon softened butter
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato 8oz
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place 1 Tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Place the skillet in the oven to melt the butter.
- Meanwhile, combine cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, brown sugar, eggs, and melted butter together. Add mashed sweet potatoes and stir until combined.
- Add wet mixture to dry mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes, until the cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Mark Broussard
Sunday 23rd of October 2022
I never heard of sweet potatoe cornbread it's sounds good and i bet it tastes good too. Please send me the recipe. Thanks
Tanya
Thursday 27th of October 2022
Thank you Mark! The recipe is in the recipe card in the blog post.