The Recipe Card
When I drew this card from my grandma’s recipe box, I was not prepared to have to grease an 8-inch square baking dish. In my mind Johnny Cake was a griddle cake, similar to pancakes. When you leave the “s” off of cakes, it becomes a very different recipe.
After reading through the ingredients and method, I thought, “oh, this is a cornbread recipe”. So I did a little research on cornbread and Johnny Cake.
I was equally unprepared to discover how cornmeal quick breads can create divides among communities, states, and even families.
To Sweeten or Not, Cornbread or Johnny Cake
When I hear the word cornbread, I think of a sweet, yellow cornmeal quick bread served with whipped butter and drizzled with honey. This is the cornbread of my childhood.
Now apparently, there are many styles of quick breads made with cornmeal including this recipe for New England Johnny Cake. This can and does lead to some very passionate discussions about what they’re called, what cornmeal should be used and whether or not they should be sweetened. As you can image, there are very strong opinions in all camps.
It stands to reason that what is most familiar to us, becomes the standard we bare especially when it comes to food memories. How often have you heard – or uttered – the expression, “It’s not as good as mom’s.”?
We all have the capacity to appreciate different foods, but by bearing witness to what and who nurtured us, we honor them and validate in our own identities.
With that in mind, I imagine that this discussion will continue as long as cornmeal quick breads are being made. And if you decide to make this recipe remember, it may not be as good as your mom’s, but it is as good as my grandma’s. 😉
The article, by Kathleen Purvis, explores how the addition of sugar to cornbread creates racial divides. And the video, has a wealth of information about colonial wheat, Indian corn, and the sensibilities of the color of baked bread. Enjoy!
New England Johnny Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup corn meal yellow
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 2 tablespoons dark molasses
- 1 tablespoon egg slightly beaten
- 1 1/3 cup milk
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375˚ F.
- Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir until smooth.
- Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
- Turn upside down on cooling rack for a minute or two - that's what the recipe card says.
- Cut into 16 squares and serve immediately (grandma's note) I actually cut mine into 9 squares, grandma was frugal.
Nutrition
Recipe Box Roulette
The rules are simple. Let your fingers wander over the recipes cards in the box, draw one at random, share it with us on FB Page or on your Instagram Feed. Remember to tag @theheritagcookbookproject and use the hashtag #recipeboxroulette.
Extra credit – make the recipe and share a photograph.
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This is NOT, I repeat NOT a jonnycake recipe. Jonnycakes are made with just boiling water, cornmeal, salt, and maybe a little sugar. The The cornmeal, salt, and sugar are mixed, and then you pour in the boiling water to desired consistency (stiff enough to hold together when placed in a skillet). When cool, they are formed into round “cakes” (actually the shape of a hamburger, think pancake), and browned on each side in corn oil. THAT’S IT! None of that other stuff. Some people top them with butter, maple syrup, gravy, even ketchup. This is a poor man’s dish, and nothing like cornbread.
Hey David. Your description of johnnycakes is accurate, though those in Newport County, RI may take issue with the boiling water as they generally use milk in their johnnycakes 😉 The recipe that you describe dates back to around 1700. As with many recipes, it has seen renditions over the years and one of those is being oven-baked and more like traditional corn-bread. Though many Southerns will take issue with that as well. As I mentioned in the post, this recipe in all its forms creates much controversy. Thanks for stopping by.