Last night I made Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s cornbread recipe from her new book The Joy of Vegan Baking so that Harrison and I could enjoy it toasted for breakfast this morning. Here's how it looked:
I've tested two vegan cornbread recipes. Colleen's and Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s Sunny Blueberry-Corn Muffin recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance (I don't use the blueberries or lemons). Have a friend that can't tolerate gluten? I also tested Colleen's recipe replacing the all purpose white flour with Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour.
Colleen’s is a very good recipe that's not sweet and delivers a sturdy, dense crumb. And, due to low sugar and oil content, if you make the recipe into a dozen muffins, they weigh in at just about 125 calories per.
I use Colleen's recipe for its "lightness" and because Harrison likes less sugar in her cornbread. Her Granny was from New Orleans and when Harrison was growing up, her Granny made a less-sweet and utilitarian cornbread in their iron skillet. So that's what she likes now. I heard Emeril Legasse say that people in Louisiana like their cornbread salty, not sweet. So, Granny's recipe makes perfect regional sense.
The difference between all purpose white and Bob's Gluten Free flour? Well, take a look. 
The gluten free bread is in the back. There is a clear visual difference in the crust. The top especially. Not as smooth and yellow, but paler, with a lot of little holes and a little tough. Also, the gluten free flour produced a bit flatter cake. Just by about a quarter inth. But the taste and texture of the crumb? The same.
Now, Isa's is my real favorite cornbread recipe because it truly delivers on her promise: crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and delicious through and through. They run about 200 calories per. But who counts calories, anyway?
Whip up a batch of your favorite cornbread recipe soon because it's so easy for cryin' out loud! So delicious toasted, smeared with Earth Balance and marmelade along with a cup of strong hot black coffee! Or with a bowl of chili. That's the best.
Happy baking!
