Description
Johnny Cakes from Jamaica bring sunshine to your morning plate with golden cornmeal pancakes that crisp perfectly and taste like Caribbean comfort. Serve these simple, warm treats alongside your favorite jam or syrup for a delightful start to any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
Supporting Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Seasoning:
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Grab a spacious mixing bowl and thoroughly combine 1 cup cornmeal, ½ cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar using a wire whisk until perfectly integrated.
- In a separate vessel, whisk 1 cup whole milk, 2 large eggs, and 4 tablespoons melted butter until the liquid mixture becomes completely smooth and uniform.
- Gently fold the liquid ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing to maintain tender johnny cakes.
- Position a non-stick skillet over medium heat (375°F), lightly coating the surface with butter or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Using a 2-tablespoon measure, carefully drop batter onto the heated skillet, creating small circular cakes with even spacing.
- Watch for small bubbles to emerge across the cake’s surface, which typically takes 3-4 minutes. This signals the ideal moment to flip each johnny cake.
- Flip the cakes and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until both sides display a warm golden-brown color and feel slightly crisp at the edges.
- Transfer finished johnny cakes to a warmed plate, allowing them to rest momentarily before serving with maple syrup, fresh berries, or your preferred accompaniment.
Notes
- Toast cornmeal carefully to enhance the nutty flavor and prevent a raw taste in your johnny cakes.
- For gluten-free diets, substitute the wheat flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend to maintain the original texture.
- Keep the batter slightly thick but pourable, adding extra milk if it seems too dense for smooth spreading on the skillet.
- Experiment with adding herbs like thyme or chives to the batter for a savory breakfast variation that transforms the classic recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5-7 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Caribbean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 315 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg