Vanilla sets off the sweetness of corn and is good when you want a slightly sweeter bread.

2 tablespoons butter
1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup corn oil or butter, melted
4 tablespoons honey or more to taste
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put the butter in an 8-inch square baking pan and set in the oven while it's heating.

Meanwhile, stir the dry ingredients together and make a well in the center of the bowl.

In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.

As soon as the oven is hot, remove the pan and brush the butter around the edges. Pour any excess into the wet ingredients. Quickly mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then pour the batter into the pan and bake in the middle of the oven until golden brown on top and beginning to pull away from the edges, about 25 minutes.

Serve hot.