Johnnycakes

Johnnycake is a traditional cornmeal bread or flatbread found in the United States and parts of the Caribbean. It is typically made from ground cornmeal mixed with hot water or milk, salt, and often fat such as butter or lard. The mixture can be cooked as a griddle cake, fried, or baked. Depending on regional preference, it may be formed into disks and fried on a skillet or griddled, or whisked into a runnier batter and cooked like a pancake. Some modern recipes include baking powder for a lighter texture.

Origins and terminology for johnnycake are historical and somewhat uncertain. The dish draws on Native American cornmeal preparations that predated European contact, and colonists adopted and adapted those techniques. The name journey cake appears in 18th-century American sources to describe a durable bread carried on long journeys, while the term johnnycake is a later variant whose exact etymology is not definitively established.

Regional variations and usage reflect local tastes. In New England, johnnycakes are often thick and served with molasses or butter, resembling a dense pancake. In parts of the Mid-Atlantic and the South, they may be thinner and breadier, similar to cornbread or skillet fried cakes. In the Caribbean, similar cornmeal breads appear under names such as johnny cake or journey cake and are commonly served with stews, seafood, or fried meats. Johnnycake remains a historical staple in rural and coastal communities and a recognizable element of regional American and Caribbean cuisine.