1 cup chestnuts, boiled and shelled
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, coarse
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch glass baking pan. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, honey and brown sugar in a large bowl until well combined. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in chestnuts and stir.
Add dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk, in three additions. Using mixer, beat egg whites in another large bowl until medium-stiff peaks form. Gently fold in egg whites.
Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake for 50 minutes or until top is golden and slightly puffy. Cool corn bread for 10 minutes before serving.