Skillet Corn Bread with Honey Butter

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
Honey Butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Put a dry, well-seasoned 9- to 9 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet in middle of oven to heat.

Stir together cornmeal, baking soda, and salt, crushing any small bits of baking soda.

Whisk eggs in another bowl until blended and whisk in buttermilk.

Remove hot skillet from oven carefully and add butter, swirling gently to coat bottom and sides of skillet. (If butter begins to sizzle and brown around edges, so much the better.) Whisk hot butter into buttermilk mixture and return skillet to oven. Stir cornmeal into buttermilk mixture just until moistened. (The batter doesn