gluten free cornbread recipe

My grandmother makes really awesome cornbread.   I was inspired to make it more often after visiting her in Memphis last Christmas.   There were several issues with the recipes I tried that kept that from happening until I came up with this one.  I wanted a recipe for an 8" skillet.  I like the smaller size because cornbread is best hot from the oven, and you don't end up with lots of leftovers.  A lot of the appeal for me in cornbread is in instant gratification.   You don't have to knead or rise dough, and it takes about 5 minutes to mix up the batter and put it in the oven, so baking a fresh one every night is easy.  The other consideration I had is that my boyfriend has wheat allergy.  Surprisingly most cornbread is not gluten free- usually recipes are half wheat and half cornmeal.  Since you’re already halfway there with the cornmeal, cornbread lends itself well to gluten free baking.  In general, I find that a 50/50 substitution of rice and tapioca flour for wheat works well for gluten free baking, and it did here too. 

It turned out to be perfect the first time!  (How often does that happen with improvised baking?!) 
I've made this a bunch of times since last week, and it’s been wonderful to have hot bread so often with dinner.   The texture is really fluffy and light, unlike how gluten free breads can often be, and it has a beautiful brown crunchy crust with cracks all over the top.   We eat it with butter during dinner and with jam or honey for dessert.

Gluten Free Cornbread

1 C cornmeal

1/2 C rice flour
1/2 C tapoica flour
2 T brown sugar
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 egg
1 C milk

2  T butter or oil  (enough to coat the bottom of your skillet well)

8" skillet

Preheat oven to 425.  Mix dry ingredients. My Grandmother's trick is heating the oil in the pan really hot (till almost smoking) before adding the batter.   Mix egg and milk with dry ingredients and immediately pour into hot skillet (careful not to burn yourself with oil splatters).  Bake for 23 min.  

Also for everyone in Portland or the NW, the bulk section at Winco is a great and affordable place to get the rice and tapioca flour and the other dry ingredients.

If anyone else tries it, I'd like to hear how yours comes out.