Journey or Johnny Cake

Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1½ cups milk
½ cup butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
1 1/3 cups pastry flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F Grease an 8-inch square pan. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal and ½ cup of the milk. Set aside.
In another bowl, cream the butter and gradually add the sugar. Set aside.
In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a glass measuring cup, beat together the egg and the remaining 1 cup milk. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk/egg mixture to the butter mixture, stirring after each addition until combined. Add the cornmeal mixture and mix until smooth.
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Cut into nine squares and serve hot with butter and syrup, if desired.