Commonly called Corn Bread today, Johnny Cakes was a basic food for pioneer families. It was quick and easy to prepare and was usually eaten for breakfast when a full stomach was needed before starting the day’s chores. This version is made in a frying pan but the pioneers sometimes wrapped the cakes in cabbage leaves and left them to cook in the ashes of a fire - then they were called Ash Cakes.
Ingredients
1 cup of cornmeal
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of boiled water
½ cup milk
Butter or vegetable oil
Equipment
Mixing bowl
Tablespoon
Frying pan (it’s best if you use a heavy-bottomed one)
Spatula
Directions
Mix the cornmeal and salt together in the mixing bowl
Add the water a little bit at a time. Stir constantly so that all of the water is absorbed by the cornmeal
Add the milk and stir so that all of the ingredients are mixed together to make a batter
Put a little bit of butter or vegetable oil in a frying pan and put on a medium heat and wait until the pan is hot.
Now scoop out a tablespoon of batter and carefully drop the batter onto the frying pan. You can probably cook several at the same time.
Wait until the batter is browned and then flip them over with a spatula.
When boom sides are cooked remove from the pan and put on a plate.
You can eat Johnny Cakes with butter, jam or honey. They’re also great for dipping in soups and from mopping up that last bit of gravy from your plate.
Corn Country Cakes
Serves 4-6
This was a special dish cooked by pioneer families. It was special because it uses ingredients that were either difficult to get hold of or were expensive. Of course, all of the ingredients are easy for us to buy and don’t cost that much.
Ingredients
1 cup of cornmeal
1 cup of flour
¾ teaspoon of salt
4 teaspoons of baking powder
¼ cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of milk
¼ cup of vegetable oil
Equipment
2 mixing bowls
Fork
8x8 inch baking dish (or close to it)
Butter or margarine
Directions
Mix together all of the dry ingredients in one bowl and in the other bowl beat together the milk, eggs and vegetable oil with the fork
Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and then slowly mix together with the fork to make a batter
Use a small amount of butter or margarine to grease the baking dish and then pour the batter into the dish.
Bake in a 2000C oven for about 15-20 minutes. The cake should be lightly browned on top.
Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for a little while. Cut into squares and serve.
You can serve Country Corn Cakes with either maple syrup or runny honey.
PLUS the fantastic Jacqueline Wilson!!!
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