Jamaican Johnny Cakes
Vacation Qualms and amazing Jamaican Johnny Cakes!
Before we moved to the mountains, we used to vacation in the mountains.
Now that we live in the lush rolling slopes of North Carolina, we travel elsewhere to vacate.
Like the beach.
I love the warm velvety sand between my toes, the sun kissing my forehead, watching the waves gently roll in, and the constant roar of the sea.
I love watching my husband chase the little ones down the beach, laughing and kicking through the sea foam. Yet the moment I step foot in the water, I am on guard.
Watchful of sharks.
Do I let my babies go in the water? Yes, because I know my fear is irrational. (And because my husband would give me a lecture on parenting.) But I am poised, ready to snatch them from the waves and high-tail it out of the water, at the first glimpse of danger.
Go ahead and laugh. Sometimes I’m a head-case.
Well, these two are afraid of nothing. You can learn a lot from children.
Actually, you can learn a lot from just about anyone. You never know when you are going to gain new knowledge and experience new things.
Take this unassuming little restaurant in Sunset Beach, for instance. I’ve eaten Jamaican food plenty of times. What could possibly surprise me?
The bread, that’s what.
The most nontraditional and luxurious Jamaican Johnny Cakes Recipe I’ve ever experienced. Tender, moist, airy with a fine crumb, almost a CAKE, but served as an appetizer. The Sugar Shack’s Jamaican Johnny Cakes is a delicate corny pillow with a good dose of clove. This is my kind of bread.
Don’t let the Johnny Cake’s humble appearance fool you. This “bread” is not to be missed. Unlike the classic heavy fry bread normally considered “Johnny Cake” in the isles, this is special. An ultra silky cornbread/buttermilk cake hybrid that is utterly addictive. Two loaves will not be enough.
Consider yourself warned!
I didn’t ask for the recipe, like I do here in Asheville. Instead I came home and experimented until I replicated the Sugar Shack’s famous Jamaican Johnny Cakes.
I’m awfully proud of myself over this one. Somehow, it makes me feel better about the shark issue.
Other ASP breads you’ll love:
Favorite breads on the web:
Cinnamon Swirl Bread ~ Recipe Girl
Homemade English Muffins ~ Bell’ Alimento
Brazilian Cheese Bread ~ Simple Recipes
Jamaican Johnny Cakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- 3/4 cup finely ground cornmeal plus extra for the pans
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground clove
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1 cup full fat buttermilk
Instructions
- Lower the oven rack to the bottom half of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter and dust two to 9x5 loaf pans with cornmeal.
- Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and clove. Mix well.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar for 3-5 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, followed by the vanilla and buttermilk.
- Slowly add the dry mix to the wet mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat again until just smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the loaf pans. Bake, undisturbed for 40-50 minutes. Insert a toothpick to ensure the cakes are cooked through. If the toothpick comes out clean, remove them from the oven.
- Cool for 10 minutes, before carefully flipping out of the pans. Serve warm. The cake should be light and slightly crumbly. Makes 2 loaves.
first time I’ve ever reacted with sheer terror to one of your posts, Spicy! ;)
(can’t wait to try this bread…thanks!)
Ive never had a johnny cake but yours sure looks delicious! You convinced me 100% by the end of your lovely post that this should go straight on the old to-make list, it has been saved and will hopefully be made sooner rather than later :) looks lovely and well done on creating such a wonderful recipe!
Such a sweet post….love seeing your vacation photos. I encourage my kids to take risks and then when they do i *gasp*
This non-traditional Johnny cake recipe look amazing!
Clove is definitely one of my favourite aromatic. I hope it brought you all the recent great memories from your break. The cake looks comfortingly memorable ;)
Looks very soft and nice. I like such cakes with tea..
Sommer, what beautiful photos of a family day out! Your kids certainly do look fearless! Your Johnny Cake looks delicious. I like the sound of sweet and spicy.
we have friends that vacation at sunset beach often…but what I really wanted to say is, this post is going to keep me thinking for a while about how gathering knowledge can often lead to trepidation.
Hey, I see your Johnny Cake on Pioneer Woman. And I wish the Sugar Shack would let us know how close you are to their recipe. The Sugar Shack was wonderful — waited more than an hour to get in but it was worth the wait. Sugar Shack 1690 Hale Beach Road Southwest, Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina 28469-4750
I’ve seen that crazy footage of the air attacks by the sharks and while I wouldn’t want to encounter one in real life, I am strangely fascinated by them.
I also love the beach, and I fear stupid stupid things! :)
So this is what you come up with when experimenting… WOW! The loaf looks amazing!
love your photos, and Johnny cakes looks awesome it is so moist.
Looks amazing. Experimenting is always the tastiest way to come about things. The added bonus of devouring the “failures” is always fun.
forget the sharks, it’s the jellyfish that keep me at bay! Crazy I know, but I hate those suckers!
Great job on replicated this cake! It looks beautiful. :D
Never had johnny cakes and I am now intrigued. Love the Carolina Coast!
Sommer, that Johnny Cake looks better than any I have ever had, the crumb looks so very very good, and I’m sure those flavors were just heavenly! Now as for sharks I’m with you on that one, I had a friend who was missing a hunk of his leg from a shark attack! As for bears, well I think that’s a good fear too!!
This looks really tasty… I wonder if it’s like a sweet bread… like banana bread texture? And I have a fear of the ocean in general so… I like to see *in* in the water before I step in it : )
You might be my twin, girl. I also have an irrational fear of sharks, based on reading the book Jaws (can’t bear to watch the movie!).
I’ve never seen these Johnny Cakes, but they look delish!
Proud you should be. This looks delicious. Gorgeous photos!