Sweet Cornbread

I must be a Northern girl at heart cause I love sweet cornbread. Southern versions do not taste good to me. I need my cornbread to be sweet. I also love a crispy bottom and sides and as such I will only cook my cornbread in my cast iron skillet. It's best to preheat the cast iron skillet to make a really crispy outer layer on the cornbread. This recipe is sweeter than my previous cornbread recipe. Give both a try and let me know if you prefer one over the other. I can not decide which one I like best.

Sweet Cornbread
adapted from Recipezaar

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
2 cups white cornmeal or yellow cornmeal
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan or a 12 inch cast iron skillet with shortening.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Mix sugar, butter, eggs, buttermilk, honey and water together in a large bowl.
Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl: cornmeal, flour,baking powder, and salt.
While stirring, add dry ingredients to sugar, egg, and milk mixture and mix thoroughly.
Mixture will be slightly lumpy.
Pour into greased rectangular pan or cast iron skillet. If using the cast iron skillet preheat in oven for about 10 minutes.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Serve with butter.