1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1¼ cup buttermilk, room temperature
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1 egg
1 cup lightly packed grated cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush cast-iron corn stick molds with vegetable oil and place in oven. Mix cornmeal, flour, dark brown sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. In another small bowl, whisk buttermilk, butter, and egg together. Mix into dry ingredients. Stir in grated cheddar cheese. Add more buttermilk if necessary to thin to just pourable consistency. Fill corn stick molds with batter. Bake corn sticks until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Using tip of small sharp knife, gently lift corn sticks from molds. Serve warm.