Traditional Johnny Cakes Recipes

JOHNNY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease thoroughly an 8 inch square cake pan.
• Combine cornmeal and milk. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir together the egg and milk.
• Cream shortening, and blend in sugar. Stir flour mixture and egg mixture alternately into creamed mixture alternately. Blend in cornmeal mixture.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve hot, with maple syrup.

OLD-FASHIONED JOHNNY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
• Sift cornmeal and flour together and spread thinly on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, combine cornmeal mixture, salt, sugar and baking powder. Pour in shortening and milk; stir to blend.
• In a separate large bowl, beat egg white until stiff. In a third bowl, beat egg yolk then fold into egg white. Gently stir flour mixture into beaten egg. Pour into prepared baking pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.

TRADITIONAL JOHNNY CAKES

Steps:

• Combine the cornmeal, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl.Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Gradually pour the cornmeal mixture in a steady stream into the boiling water, whisking constantly. Turn off the heat and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add the butter and whisk until melted and incorporated. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes (this will soften the grains to prevent a gritty texture as well as enable the consistency to thicken). At that point the consistency should resemble that of mashed potatoes. If it's still too runny let it sit a bit longer.
• Heat a cast iron or non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add some butter, oil, or bacon grease to the cast iron pan. If using non-stick still add a little oil/butter.Drop the batter in roughly 1/4 cup scoops onto the frying pan about 3 inches apart. Let the cakes fry undisturbed for several minutes until the edges are browned. This can take anywhere from 6-12 minutes. If you try and flip them too soon they will fall apart in a mushy mess so be patient. Once the edges are browned flip the cakes over and use a spatula to press them down to a thickness of no more than 1/4 inch so they can become nice and crispy. Continue to fry on the other side for several more minutes until the cakes are golden brown and crispy on the outside. Add a little more oil or butter when you flip them over to fry them on the other side.Transfer the cakes to a wire rack placed on baking sheet and put them in a warmed oven to keep warm while you make another batch.
• Serve hot with butter, maple butter, maple syrup, or applesauce.Makes twelve 3-inch Johnny cakes.

JOHNNY CAKES (THE BAHAMAS)

Steps:

• Mix all the dry ingredients together, then cut in the shortening. Work the mixture with your hands until the grains are about the size of rice.
• Add milk until you get a soft dough (I had to use a bit more than the recipe called for).
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth.
• Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a greased 9x9 inch pan. You will have to press it down so it fills in all the corners. Poke the top of the dough a few times with a fork.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. You can tell the cake is done when it starts to turn a little golden around the edges.

JOHNNYCAKES

Steps:

• Combine sugar and salt with meal in large mixing bowl. Scald with boiling water and stir well. Thin immediately with milk to a mixture that will drop easily from spoon (additional milk may be necessary: mixture should be consistency of thin mashed potato).
• Drop by the spoonful onto medium hot griddle greased with 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon grease or corn oil (do not let griddle get dry). Cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side until a brown, crunchy crust is formed and inside is soft. Serve hot with butter.

JOHNNYCAKES, NEWPORT COUNTY STYLE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together. Mixture will be thin. Spoon onto a buttered griddle in 5 inch rounds and fry until golden brown.

JOHNNY CAKES MADE EASY! (AND GOOD:)

Steps:

• Whisk together cornmeal, salt and sugar (if used).
• Bring water to a boil and pour over the meal mixture, whisking to prevent lumps. Let the batter rest 10 minutes.
• Butter a large skillet or griddle and bring it to about 375 degrees, just to a sizzle (do not burn the butter).
• Add enough milk (1/2 to a cup) to the batter to make it the consistency of mashed potatoes, and drop by spoonfuls to make cakes about 2 or 3 inches wide and several inches apart (they will spread).
• Let the cakes gently sizzle on the grill for about 6 minutes or as long as 11 minutes until you bring them to a deep golden brown on the bottom and slightly firm on the top, before turning them over.
• Add some more butter to the griddle, and/or place a thin pat of butter on each cake, before turning them over and cooking for another 6 minutes (or longer) until they are a deep golden brown color.
• Serve with butter and and honey, or maple syrup.

JOHNNY CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat an electric griddle to 380 degrees. or place a griddle pan or large skillet over medium-high heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Add boiling water, and mix to combine. The batter will be thick. Using a tablespoon, drop the batter onto the griddle 2 inches apart for each johnny cake. Let cook for 6 minutes, turn and cook 5 minutes more.

RHODE ISLAND JOHNNYCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Toast cornmeal, stirring often, until fragrant, about 5 minutes; transfer to a bowl, and whisk in 1 1/4 teaspoons salt.
• Pour boiling water into a heatproof bowl; gradually whisk in cornmeal. Stir in milk. Heat a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium heat; coat with a thin layer of oil (about 1 tablespoon). Drop batter by the tablespoon onto griddle. (If batter spatters violently, reduce heat to medium-low, so that johnnycakes are gently bubbling when they hit the griddle. You may need to add more hot water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until batter is pourable but still thick.) Cook 4 or 5 johnnycakes at a time, greasing griddle as needed, until bottoms are golden with lacy, crisp edges, about 5 minutes. Flip; cook until bottoms are crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet; warm in oven while others cook. Repeat with remaining batter.