Prune Corn Bread

This cornbread takes the classic cornmeal batter and folds in half a cup of cooked, chopped prunes. It’s an old-fashioned combination that sounds unusual but makes a lot of sense once you taste it. The prunes add natural sweetness, deep fruit flavor, and extra moisture to the crumb without making it heavy.

The batter itself is straightforward: equal parts flour and cornmeal, baking powder, a tablespoon of sugar, eggs, milk, and melted shortening. Just enough sugar to take the edge off the corn’s natural bitterness, not enough to make it cake-sweet. The prunes handle the rest of the sweetening.

Pockets of soft, jammy prune throughout the baked bread add a chewy contrast to the gritty cornmeal crumb. Spread a slice with butter while it’s still warm and the prune pieces melt into the bread.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the prunes until soft, then chop them into small pieces. Large chunks create wet pockets that don’t bake through properly.
• Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Overmixing cornbread batter makes it tough and kills the crumbly texture.
• Grease the pan well. Cornbread sticks more than most quick breads because of the sugar and fruit.
• Test with a toothpick at 25 minutes. The prune moisture can throw off timing, and the center may need the full 30 minutes.

Variations

• Swap prunes for dried figs or chopped dates for a different dried fruit character.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a spiced version.
• Use bacon drippings instead of vegetable shortening for a savory, smoky cornbread.