Couple of notes from the deep frying south....Back when I was a young'un and we were just learning about hushpuppies in this neck of the swamps, they told my mama to make them like scalded cornbread, with hot water, that is, not milk. She would mix in an egg and a bunch of chopped onion, and they were always cooked along with fried fish. I liked them better than the fish, most times.
A year or so ago, at a nearby art fest, tried a fried sweet cornbread with sugar, I think it was, to dip in. It was sort of a new treat to me but pretty good. I don't remember what they called them, but not hushpuppies.