Cornbread cake is a traditional Southern dish made from cornmeal, butter, eggs, and milk. It is usually baked in a cast-iron skillet and served as a side dish or dessert. The term 'pone' is an old-fashioned word for a type of cornbread cake, which is usually round and flat. Pone is also sometimes used to refer to other types of cornbread cakes, such as those made with buttermilk or sour cream.