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    Home » Dessert » Cake » Johnny Cake from The Bahamas

    Johnny Cake from The Bahamas

    Published on Feb 19, 2021 Modified: Feb 19, 2021 by The Foreign Fork This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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    Johnny Cake is a dense, biscuit-textured bread from The Bahamas made with flour, sugar, milk and baking powder. Johnny Cake is best served warm with jam and butter or for breakfast with slices of cheese.

    Slice of Johnny Cake with butter and jam, with flowers in the background

    “Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!”

    Recipe Origins

    Johnny Cake is a traditional recipe of the Bahamas that can be found across the islands. It is often served in local restaurants and can be bought by the loaf at local bakeries as well! 

    Though the word “cake” in the name implies that this recipe will be sweet, this is actually not normally the case. I like to think about this recipe as a mix between a dense biscuit and a scone, with just a touch of sweetness.

    It is an incredibly versatile food and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dessert. 

    History of Johnny Cake 

    Overhead shot of bahamian Johnny cake with slabs of butter and flowers in the background

    It’s unclear exactly where the origin story of Johnny Cake begins, though a good guess is within Native American/Indigenous tribes in North America. 

    Many indigenous tribes used the abundant corn plants to make round cakes made of cornmeal called janiken. It is expected that European settlers saw this practice and brought it to the Bahamas. 

    It is also expected that this recipe came about from the mid-Atlantic slave trade! At the time, the recipe was called Journey Cake, because it was made on the long journey from Africa to America. It was a perfect recipe for travel because it could be made with dry ingredients and cooked on an open fire. 

    The Bahamas received the recipe (and changed the name) likely around 1780 when the American War for Independence caused American citizens/slaveholders to flee the country and arrive in the Bahamas with their slaves, who brought the recipe with them. 

    Why Make this Recipe

    Slice of johnny cake on a plate with parchment paper in the back
    1. “Travel” to the Bahamas: The Bahamas is an absolutely beautiful country to visit. The beaches are beautiful and the food there is just delicious! If you want to visit the Bahamas but aren’t able to, making this recipe at home will give you a feeling that you are there. 
    2. Made with Pantry Staples: We all know those days that we want to bake but just don’t want to leave our houses. This recipe is so simple, and can be made with ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry at home!

    What Ingredients are in this Recipe

    Ingredient shot
    1. Dry Ingredients: Granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder
    2. Butter: I use unsalted butter. Leave it out for a few hours before baking so that it is softened and at room temperature
    3. Milk: I use 2% milk, but you can use whatever you have on hand. 

    How to Make this Recipe

    Step 1: Make the Dough 

    Butter and sugar in a mixing bowl
    Crumbled dough for johnny cake

    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

    Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until combined. 

    Add the flour, water, salt, and baking powder to the bowl and mix with a hand mixer.

    Add the milk slowly until the batter is slightly sticky, mixing by hand with a wooden spoon. 

    Step 2: Knead the Dough 

    Combined dough with a wooden spoon

    Dust your hands with flour. Transfer the dough from the bowl to a greased 9×9 pan. Gently flatten the dough into the pan (you can also use a round pan or a cast iron skillet). 

    Step 3: Bake

    Unbaked johny cake in a cake pan

    Bake the cake for approximately 1 hour, or until the edges are browned. It will not rise much. 

    Let the Johnny Cake cook for several minutes before cutting into it. Enjoy! 

    Expert Tips 

    • I’ve found that eating johnny cake at room temperature is not normally conducive to a delicious experience. Instead, heat it up in the microwave. Add a little bit of butter and then jam (Papaya Jam and orange marmalade are my favorite options). You will love how much softer and more delicious your snack gets!
    • This recipe calls for a circle or square, glass pan. The traditional method is actually to use a cast iron skillet (in the oven). If you have a cast iron skillet at your disposal, this is a great way to cook the recipe. 
    • Bake some coconut into the recipe to add a bit of sweetness 

    Recipe FAQs

    How Should I Store Johnny Cake? 

    Close up of johnny cake in a pan with raspberry jam in the background

    To store the cake, wrap it up in wax paper first. Then, wrap that wax paper in aluminum foil! 

    You can keep the cake on the counter at room temperature for up to a week. Once the cake begins to harden or turn stale, throw it out. 

    How Should I Cut the Johnny Cake? 

    You can cut the cake into wedges and serve them warm!

    Some good ways to enjoy Johnny Cake are: 

    • Warm with butter and jam 
    • Used to soak up broths or soups at dinner time
    • Served with slices of cheddar cheese as a lunchtime snack. 

    How Is this Recipe Different From Other Johnny Cakes I Have Seen? 

    The Bahamas is not the only country that is famous for its Johnny Cakes. In fact, many countries have a dish by this name but they are not all made the same. 

    In the Bahamas, the recipe is cooked either in an oven or on the stove. However, other countries it can be typical to fry the cakes instead of baking them. 

    Additionally, Bahamian Johnny Cake is made using all-purpose flour. In other countries, including the United States, Jamaica, Colombia, and more, the recipe features cornmeal as its main ingredient. 

    This version of the cake is much thicker than the recipes in other countries, such as South and Central America. In those regions, the cakes are cooked on a griddle and are much thinner than the slices you see here. 

    Did you enjoy this recipe for Johnny Cake from The Bahamas? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you: 

    • Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
    • Pigeon Peas and Rice from The Bahamas
    • Bahama Mama from The Bahamas 
    • Rum Cake Recipe from The Bahamas 
    • Plantain Chips from The Bahamas 
    • Coconut Bread Recipe from The Bahamas 

    Johnny Cake (The Bahamas)

    Johnny Cake is a dense, biscuit-textured bread made with flour, sugar, milk and baking powder. Though the term cake indicates that this dish is normally savory. Johnny Cake is best served warm with jam and butter or for breakfast with slices of cheese. 
    3 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Bread
    Cuisine: The Bahamas
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 8 people
    Calories: 416kcal
    Author: The Foreign Fork

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature + extra for greasing pan
    • ¾ cups granulated sugar
    • 4 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¾ cup milk, approximately

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until combined.
    • Add the flour, water, salt, and baking powder to the bowl and mix with a hand mixer.
    • Add the milk slowly until the batter is sticky. Mix by hand with a wooden spoon.
    • Dust hands with flour. Transfer dough from bowl to a greased 9×9 pan. Gently flatten the dough in the pan.
    • Bake for approx. 1hr or until the edges of the johnnycake are browned. The johnnycake will not rise much.
    • Let cool for several minutes before cutting into the johnnycake.

    Notes

    Thank you to TruBahamianFoodTours for the recipe!
    • I’ve found that eating johnny cake at room temperature is not normally conducive to a delicious experience. Instead, heat the johnny cake up in the microwave. Add a little bit of butter and then jam (Papaya Jam and orange marmalade are my favorite options). You will love how much softer and more delicious your snack gets!
    • This recipe calls for cooking the Johnny cake in a circle or square, glass pan. The traditional method is cooking the Johnny Cake in a cast iron skillet (in the oven). If you have a cast iron skillet at your disposal, this is a great way to cook the recipe. 
    • Bake some coconut into the Johnny Cake to add a bit of sweetness
    • To store the Johnny Cake, wrap it up in wax paper first. Then, wrap that wax paper in aluminum foil!
    • Some good ways to enjoy Johnny Cake are: 
      • Warm with butter and jam 
      • Used to soak up broths or soups at dinner time
      • Served with slices of cheddar cheese as a lunchtime snack.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 265mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 3mg
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    Two slices of Johnny Cake with toppings
    Hand holding a slice of Johnny Cake with Berries
    Overhead view of two slices of johnny cake

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