Cranberry Orange Cornbread with Orange Butter

I made this for mid-morning coffee, but it would be fabulous to serve at Thanksgiving.  Lightly sweetened with tart cranberries, but the orange butter makes it!!

Cornbread

• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• Grated zest of 1 orange

Orange Butter

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 2 tablespoons thawed orange juice concentrate

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet well with shortening.

Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  In a medium bowl, whisk together orange juice, milk, and oil.  Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until combined.  Add the cranberries and orange zest and fold in, being careful not to overmix the batter.

Pour batter in prepared skillet.  Bake until lightly browned on top and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.  Remove cornbread from the oven and place on a rack to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, confectioners sugar and orange juice concentrate until smooth.

Serve the cornbread warm, spread with the orange butter.

Serves 6 to 8.

* If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, use any baking dish about the same size.

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