Preheat and Prepare: Start by preheating your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease your baking pan with a little butter or non-stick spray, ensuring your cornbread won’t stick!

Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and optional sugar, mixing until fully combined.

Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, whole milk, and melted butter until smooth and well blended.

Combine Ingredients: Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir just until combined—don’t overmix!

Fold in Cheese and Jalapeños: Carefully fold in the shredded cheddar cheese and diced jalapeños, making sure they're evenly dispersed throughout the batter.

Bake to Perfection: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, and bake for 22–25 minutes.

Cool and Serve: Allow the cornbread to cool slightly in the pan. Slice it into squares and serve warm.