The trick to making excellent skillet corn bread is how well-seasoned your cast iron skillet is.

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup unbleached flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp soy or nut milk + 1 tbsp corn starch, whipped until frothy
1/4 cup melted margarine or oil
2 tbsp liquid sweetener
1 1/4 cups soy or nut milk + 1 tsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp margarine

Place a 9″ cast iron skillet in your 400 F preheated oven.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Combine all wet ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the liquid into the dry and stir until just mixed (there should still be lumps). Pull the hot skillet out of the oven and add the 2 tbsp margarine, swirling it around to coat the bottom and sides. Quickly add the batter and return to the oven and allow to bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is golden and dry and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry. Set on a cooling rack and cut into wedges. Serve hot with brown rice syrup and Earth Balance.

If you increase the amount of milk in this recipe by 1/4 to 1/2 a cup you can make Johnny Cakes, which are cornmeal pancakes. Lightly mix the batter and fry in a pre-heated skillet on the stovetop as you would regular pancakes. Johnny cake batter also makes lovely cornbread muffins.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place a dry 9 inch (or thereabouts) cast iron skillet in the oven to heat.