Recipe for Johnnycakes

This last Friday, my children and I met my sister and parents at Riley's Farm in Oak Glen for a visit. I went there every autumn as child for a field trip of the apple farm and their frontier cabin experience. The kids loved it! Ethan was putting rocks in his pockets and Lizzie was enjoying her "mama", "bumpa" and aunt. One of the activities we did was Johnny Cakes tasting or also known as Journey Cakes. Traditionally they they were a favorite food of settlers because of the density of the cornmeal that would keep them full. They can be made on a hot griddle like pancakes or in a muffin tin.

Johnny Cakes 

1 cup flour

4 Tbsp Sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup oil, shortening, or butter melted

1. Mix dry ingredients

2. Mix wet ingredients separately 

3. Mix together until moist.

4. If making muffin, bake at 425 degrees for 15-25 min.

or

If  making pancakes drop onto hot griddle. They will be a bit difficult to flip. The recipe will make about 15 pancakes or 15 muffins.

Serve with apple butter, pumpkin butter, or any jelly or syrup. We tried honey, but didn't like the way it tasted.

I'm very interested in playing with this recipe. It has too much sugar for my preference though you can't taste it. I might try applesauce to substitute the oil and sugar. We'll see.