Let’s Cook: Johnny Cakes

by RogerMay 31, 2022

It seems practically every culture in the world has come up with their own version of fried dough, from Akara of West Africa to the Zeppole of Italy. Today we are heading into the kitchen for a live-cooking episode, and my take on Caribbean-style johnny cakes inspired by my recent trip to St. Croix, USVI.

Mentioned in this Episode

Johnny Cakes are a popular fried dough dish throughout the Caribbean and Central America. Versions from North America frequently feature cornmeal as the primary ingredients and possible originated with the First Nations peoples of the area. The Caribbean version, such as the ones found in St. Croix, likely have more West African origins. Ingredients and methods differ depending on where you go, but all are delicious.

If you plan to fry up some johnny cakes, there are a couple of tools that will make your life easier. First, a thermometer to monitor the temperature of your cooking oil is an inexpensive tool that will make your frying much more consistent. Second, if you plan to work with pastry often then a good pastry blender is nice to have.

There were several online resources that helped me narrow in on the recipe I used for this episode. My recipe is at the bottom of the post, but here are a few of my favorite johnny cake resources online:

Here are a few images of my johnny cakes I took while recording this episode (yes, even the oven baked version!):

Listen to the episode for the complete “cook through,” then try your hand at johnny cakes using the recipe below.

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Caribbean-Style Johnny Cakes

Author: Roger
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 large or 12 small cakes 1x

Print Recipe

Description

This versatile fried dough is equally delicious with sweet (honey, sugar, syrup, preserves) or savory (fish, chicken, cheese) accompaniments.

Ingredients

Scale

1 pound all purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups or 450g)
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar (16g)
1 Tablespoon baking powder (13g)
1 teaspoon salt (5g)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (16g)
1, 1/2 cup warm water (as needed)
Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Mix the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) in a large mixing bowl.
Cut the butter into the mixture of dry ingredients (use a pastry blender, forks, or even your finger tips).
Start adding warm water a half cup at a time to the dry mixture and mix with your hand. You want the dough to come together but not be overly wet and sticky. If you have added 1 cup of warm water and still need more, continue by adding a tablespoon of water at a time and mixing until the dough just comes together.
Knead the dough for two to three minutes. Then form into a large ball, cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, add vegetable oil to heavy pot for frying. You want about 1.5 to 2 inches (5cm) of oil in the pot. Heat oil over medium high heat to 350 degrees F.
Cut dough into equal size portions. You can make 8 large or 12 small johnny cakes. Roll portions into a ball, then use a rolling pin or your hands to flatten them into discs.
Add johnny cakes to the hot oil without crowding the pot. Fry for approximately 2 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.