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The Fluffy, Buttery Johnny Cakes That Transport Me to My Grandmother’s Kitchen

published about 1 hour ago

Credit: Brittany Conerly

The first time I ate a johnny cake, I was at my grandmother’s house. I had to have been 6 or 7 at the time. I reached toward the back of the stove, where she kept all of her meals, and grabbed what I assumed to be a pancake. I took a bite and stood in the kitchen in a state of shock.

“Why in the world does this pancake taste like cornbread?” is probably what I was thinking.

I just remember being extremely confused and curious. I didn’t finish the pancake. Instead, I placed it back on the plate half-eaten. My mother had a fit! In my defense, I didn’t know any better. What I know now is that johnny cakes are a reflection of the significance corn has, not only to Black American culture, but to Indigenous and Caribbean culture as well. Across the African diaspora, corn and cornmeal are staple ingredients in many dishes.

Johnny cake, also known as hoe cake, is essentially a cornmeal flatbread. Some say the name hoe cake is a reference to cooking the cakes on the blades of a garden hoe; others believe it’s because the griddle used to cook the cakes was called a “hoe.” In more recent times, johnny cakes were cooked in lard or butter in a cast iron pan. Regionally, this bread is known by many names: ashcake, jonny cake, journey cake, Shawnee cake, and jonakin. It is believed that the name johnny cake came from the name Shawnee cake, derived from the Shawnee tribe in New England, but changed over time due to differing languages and pronunciation.

Credit: Brittany Conerly

When researching johnny cakes, you’ll find that there are many variations — not just in name, but also in ingredients and preparation. Take my grandmother’s johnny cakes, for example: They were fluffy, not very sweet, and medium in size, perhaps a quarter size of a standard breakfast pancake. But there are recipes that omit flour altogether and call for sifted cornmeal, boiling water, and pork fat. And if you venture into the Caribbean, you will find a version that’s more like a fried dumpling made of flour, baking powder, sugar, butter and water. Similar to the stories of johnny cakes in America, the flatbread was called journey cakes because of their durability during the long journeys often taken by enslaved peoples.

If anything, johnny cakes speak to the beauty of how food holds history, tells stories, and connects Black people throughout the diaspora. Throughout all its names and preparations, the spirit of the johnny cake remains true and is a testament to perseverance, ingenuity, and survival.

My grandmother is now an ancestor, so I deeply cherish the memories we made together. Although she is gone, I feel connected to her and to my history through this recipe. Whenever my kitchen fills with the smell of bacon grease and cornmeal, I am transported back to the moment I laid eyes on that golden pancake. The difference between then and now? I understand and appreciate johnny cakes — and they never go half-eaten.

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Johnny Cakes

Yield Makes 12 to 15

• shellfish-free
• kidney-friendly
• fish-free
• alcohol-free
• low-potassium
• peanut-free
• sugar-conscious
• tree-nut-free
• soy-free

Per serving, based on 10 servings. (% daily value)

• Calories 242
• Fat 14.5 g (22.3%)
• Saturated 6.2 g (30.9%)
• Carbs 23.2 g (7.7%)
• Fiber 1.0 g (3.8%)
• Sugars 1.2 g
• Protein 4.3 g (8.5%)
• Sodium 178.3 mg (7.4%)

Ingredients

• 1 cup

  all-purpose flour

• 1 cup

  yellow cornmeal

• 2 1/2 teaspoons

  baking powder

• 1 teaspoon

  kosher salt

• 2

  large eggs

• 3/4 cup

  whole milk or buttermilk

• 1/4 cup

  water

• 1/2 cup

  pork fat, rendered lard, bacon grease, or vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons

  unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Place 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

2. Beat 2 large eggs in a small bowl until broken up. Add the eggs, 3/4 cup whole milk or buttermilk, and 1/4 cup water to the flour mixture and stir to combine.

3. Heat 1/2 cup pork fat and 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat until melted and shimmering. Use a 1/4-cup measuring cup to drop two portions of the batter into the pan. Cook until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.

Recipe Notes

St orage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat in a low oven until warmed through.

Kia Damon

Contributor

Kia Damon is a self-taught chef and proud Floridan woman. Her approach to food is influenced by her personal exploration into her roots and her desire to find the threads that tie cultures together. She is the founder of the Kia Feeds The People program, a non profit organization dedicated to combating food aparthied. Kia has made appearances in Vogue, Grubstreet and Munchies. She has been named one of 16 Black Chefs Changing Food In America by The New York Times and Forbes 30 Under 30 in Food and Beverage for 2021.

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Source : food