Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease and line a 9x9” baking dish with parchment paper.

Melt the butter on the stovetop or microwave, then set aside to let cool slightly. Add the soy milk, sugar, tomato paste, and 1 cup of the halved tomatoes to a blender. Blend on high until smooth, 45 to 60 seconds. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, optional dry spice add-ins, and salt together in a large bowl. Form a well in the center of the bowl.

Add the blended tomato mixture and melted butter to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to gently mix. Mix until all of the dry flour has been absorbed; there will still be some lumps in the batter, but this is okay. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top the batter with the remaining cherry tomatoes; I recommend placing them cut-side up.

Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 22 to 25 minutes, until the cornbread is puffy, the edges are beginning to turn golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out cleanly.

Transfer the entire baking dish to a wire rack to let the cornbread set for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper to remove the cornbread from the baking dish, then place it directly on a wire rack. Remove the parchment paper from underneath the cornbread to let it cool completely.

Slice the cornbread into thirds each way to make 9 large pieces, or fourths to make 16 smaller pieces. Serve with butter or as desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.