I don’t enjoy eating hot, hearty meals in the summer. It makes me feel icky. And yet I’ve been eating them like crazy. Enchiladas, chicken noodles, meatloaf and creamed corn, chicken and rice, pot roast. Today? Pinto beans and cornbread. All foods I associate with cold winter months, and that have no business being in my belly this time of year.
OK, so I have some excuses. The enchiladas? I had all the ingredients without even planning for it. The chicken noodles, meatloaf, chicken and rice, and pot roast I made all in a single day with Teri because she was teaching me to cook more homestyle-type foods. So that’s a pretty good excuse. And today, with the winter beans and cornbread? Four words.
AMISH FRIENDSHIP BREAD STARTER.
(Click here if you want to make your own starter. But you might want to read the rest of this blog first. As a warning.)
It’s taking over my life. Sparking creative neurons in my brain and making me want to bake things with it that I’d rather not eat this time of year. But I just couldn’t resist the idea of turning this round of starter into cornbread, despite having no desire to actually eat it. (Until I baked it of course, and then I couldn’t stop eating it!) I was inspired by the Miller-family’s creamed corn to incorporate the same ingredients into this recipe, which made the most moist cornbread I’ve ever had. It almost melts in your mouth!
Debbie left a comment yesterday on the creamed corn recipe that made me LOL: “Oh sure, stick a brick of cream cheese and a whole stick of butter on it and you could make your shoes taste awesome!!” Can’t argue with that, or with what the magic of excessive cream cheese and butter do to this cornbread. There is not a dry crumb to be found on this bread. It is so moist, it’s almost a cross between cornbread and corn pudding. The starter has enough sugar to give it a very nice, sweet, Northern-cornbread feel, and I love the sharp and salty edge the cheddar on top imparts.
If you decide to make this during the winter months, particularly for a holiday gathering, I’m going to tell you right now to go ahead and shred the whole block of cheese and add the other half to the batter. But if you’re making it right now…well, I hope you’ve at least packed away your swimsuit for good until next summer. Just sayin’.
Amish Friendship Creamed Cornbread
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture
Remaining starter after you’ve divied up three bags for friends
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 ½ cups cornmeal (I used stone ground)
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoons salt
1 can corn, drained
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking oil and set aside.
Add the cream cheese and butter to the starter in a large bowl and beat until fairly smooth. Beat in eggs until combined. Stir in cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt just until combined. Stir in corn and mix until well combined. Spread into prepared dish and bake for 30 minutes or until tester inserted in center comes out clean. Sprinkle cheese on top and allow to cool for ten to fifteen minutes before serving. Cheese will melt while the cornbread cools.
Veronica's Cornucopia 
I’ve been wanting to try Amish Friendship Bread, but didn’t like the fact that all of the recipes contained instant pudding with who knows what in it. I love that this one uses real ingredients…. I’ll have to try it out!
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You can leave out the instant pudding or you can add in the homemade dry pudding mix on the Friendship Bread Kitchen website. The pudding adds in extra flavors and moisture. xoxo Susie
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Awesome! So, you found another way to use the starter. This looks fantastic :) Sorry, I’ve been mia for a few weeks. Life is a bit hectic right now :( …………
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I’ve heard a lot about this Amish bread business and seen many variations on it…but never corn bread! Love it!
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Pair that with some chili and you’ll be ready to hibernate until spring! ;)
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That looks ammmmazing. I’ll have to make this soon, maybe for football season with some chili. :) I have made a version that used sour cream and not cream cheese, but I’m looking forward to trying your recipe. It looks awesome!
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how wonderful! i’ve never tried this dish before but i certainly want to….
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Yum! I will try this soon! xoxo Susie
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Dear Veronica,
Thank you so much for stopping by Concetta’s Cafe. I am glad you commented and asked about the Swiss Chicken recipe – yes, I did use the creamed soup and had left it off the ingredients list! Thank you! I fixed it now.
The Texas Toast Croutons are a brand name – I had never tried them before reading Amanda’s recipe. They are delicious! I like to make homemade croutons as well – so you could definitely do that.
Your cornbread recipe sounds wonderful – my husband would love it.
Have a great day!
Concetta
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The tag shows “creamed corn” but the recipe shows a can of corn, drained. Since I just mixed this up and it was too dry to pour, I’m assuming it should be creamed corn and not a can of kernel corn. Sorry if I’m reading this wrong.
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The type of creamed corn this emulates is the kind my family makes with butter and cream cheese, not the canned kind. You are right, it’s just the regular corn that goes in. It makes a thick batter that you have to spread, but the texture is very moist.
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Thanks for clearing that up, Veronica. My husband’s grandmother’s recipe calls for a can of creamed corn, so that was what I was thinking, I guess. I think what happened is that I only make enough starter to use and a bag to feed for the coming week, and I didn’t have enough starter in the bowl to make it liquid enough to spread well. Then I added some reserve starter and it was way too sweet. Live and learn, lol. Thanks again!
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Oh no, that’s too bad! I’m sorry your starter went to waste on something that didn’t turn out good. Maybe if you sprinkle extra salt on each piece it will balance the sweet – lol.
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