Kitchen

[qualitygal]

Wonder what the best pan to bake with would be? I looked up a pumpkin cornbread recipe of David's the other day. When I looked to see the things he used to make it, it looked more like a RR dish. I read through some of those reviews and was NOT sold on what I found of hers. I don't use a cast iron pan so I don't want to go to that expense of what I did see (as a for instance) on here. I'm sure any pie dish would work for the shape they want you to make cornbread in. I guess it just has to do with the heat source in the cast iron they might be after.

Does anyone else have a baking pan they do cornbread in? There must be an alternative that is good. Yes or no?

[Java]

You can use any baking dish(I've used a brownie pan) I wouldn't do glass pie plate though.

If you want to get closer to that "cast iron" type I would preheat the pan in the oven then pour in my cornbread. The cast iron gives it a crunchy all over texture, by preheating the pan you can get pretty close to it.

[millieshops]

For my cornbread baking, I use an appropriately sized dark metal baker.  I also have no cast iron and no reason to buy any

[Sooner]

I make cornbread in any glass dish (glass cooks hotter and you get a crispy crust); metal baking pans; stoneware; cast iron; a skillet on top of the stove (flip the cornbread when it is done on one side and DON'T burn it! LOL!!!); and ceramic baking dishes.  

Cornbread isn't at all fussy about what you bake it in.

[HonnyBrown]

I also use a Pyrex dish with no complaints.

QG, I personally love cooking with cast iron.  You can get an inexpensive fry pan from Target for $10.  Once it's seasoned, I think you will love it!

[chickenbutt]

While I have made it in cast iron, I do it like Sooner & Honey, much of the time, in glass.  I have an 8" square Pyrex that I've used for many years.  

I also have an 8" square silicone one that I've used.  Metal pans with nonstick work well, too.

It doesn't need to be baked in cast iron at all.

[qualitygal]

Thanks ladies, I feel better now and I have some ideas on what I'll use. Thanks again!

[novamc1]

@qualitygal

Call me lazy, but I make "cornbread" using a mix and make it into muffins instead.  As further evidence of laziness, I use  little pleated paper cupcake liners to save clean-up time and avoid having the muffins stick to the bottom of the pan. 

[HonnyBrown]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

While I have made it in cast iron, I do it like Sooner & Honey, much of the time, in glass.  I have an 8" square Pyrex that I've used for many years.  

I also have an 8" square silicone one that I've used.  Metal pans with nonstick work well, too.

It doesn't need to be baked in cast iron at all.

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This!

Cast iron gives a lovely crust to cornbread and a nice crisp to anything fried, but you can definitely do without it.