Johnny Cakes

Johnny Cakes are hearty fried corn cakes made with yellow cornmeal and cooked in a cast-iron skillet. Serve with butter and maple syrup for an easy breakfast that perfectly pairs with any protein!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 12

Total Time 22

Servings servings (12 cakes)

Calories 515kcal

Author John Kanell

Equipment

Mixing Bowls
Large skillet

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour (120g)
1 cup cornmeal (120g)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk (180mL)
¼ cup water (60mL)
¼ cup unsalted butter melted (57g)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil butter, or bacon fat, for frying

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, water, melted butter, and eggs. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until combined.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil, butter, or bacon fat in a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, scoop the batter by the 1/4 cupful into the hot skillet, cooking until the edges are golden brown. Flip and continue to cook until golden brown on the other side.
Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

Notes

Use a cast iron pan. A cast-iron skillet maintains a consistent cooking temperature and is an excellent pan for frying. When properly seasoned, a cast-iron pan is naturally non-stick, will brown the corn cakes beautifully, and is the type of pan this dish is traditionally cooked in. You can also use a hot griddle if you don't have a skillet.
Heat the cooking oil before adding any batter. Hot oil is essential to getting the ideal golden brown, slightly crisp, exterior on these cakes. Once the oil has been added to the pan, heat it until it reaches 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit before adding any batter.
Reduce the heat if the oil spatters. If the cooking oil is spattering or the cakes are browning very quickly, reduce the cooking heat. As you make subsequent batches, you may find that adjusting the heat is necessary.
Make the cakes ahead of time. Also known by the name journey cake, these little cornbread cakes store particularly well. This name comes from early American travelers preparing these cakes before a journey to sustain them during their trek, so this is the ideal recipe to make ahead of time. Make these a day ahead to save time on busy mornings or when you are preparing to host a larger group. I do recommend refrigerating them if keeping them for more than a few hours.
Serve as a side dish with dinner. These pair well with savory entrees such as roast beef, chili, or baked chicken, so don’t be limited to serving them at breakfast. Any time you’d serve cornbread, you can serve these corncakes. Try making them mini-sized using ⅛ cup of batter and serve in a breadbasket.

Nutrition