Johnny Cakes/Bread

July 10: Bahama Independence Day

At the end of a project, Islander’s former client Janet A. sent a small goodie box of Bahamian guava and pineapple jams, mini rum bundt cakes and a little cookbook as an appreciation gift. Janet knows we are foodies and we enjoy samples from other countries. The jams were delightful reminders of Islander’s Hawaii home when we lived on the mainland, and the bundt cakes were a tasty indulgence as well. The cookbook was very “homestyle” and the directions were not so clear. But the recipes gave us an introduction to what Bahamians like to eat. And from that cookbook, we got some menu ideas and searched online for recipes, like this one for johnny cake.

Johnny cakes are common throughout the Caribbean, brought from North America through the slave trade. The cakes, which have a slightly sweet taste and bread/biscuit-like texture, travelled well on the road and were known as “journey cakes”—the forerunners of johnny cakes. Whereas they are flat and cooked in a griddle like pan cakes in other Caribbean countries, the ones from the Bahamas are baked. There are also many variations of johnny cakes throughout the North American Atlantic coastal states and the Caribbean; the Australian version is a “damper”.

This simple side dish is enjoyed with other Bahamian foods that we made, inspired by the little cookbook that Janet gave us. To honor our friend and her compatriots, we baked Bahamian style johnny cakes to celebrate the Bahamas Independence Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from Nassau Paradise Island)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour, all purpose
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter, cold
  • 2/3 cup milk (we used lactose-free)

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Grate the cold butter into the bowl and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. 

Stir in the milk and mix to make a dough. Transfer to a clean, floured surface and knead until the dough is smooth. Let it rest for about 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile, grease a 8×8-inch square pan. Press the dough into the pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until the top and edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Store leftovers in airtight containers.

Notes

  • We halved this recipe to feed just the two of us. We pressed our johnny cake dough into a greased 6×6-inch square pan.
  • Serve johnny cakes with chicken souse or Bahamian “fire engine”. 
  • Fruit jams like the ones Janet sent to us are also delicious when spread on the johnny cakes.
  • We wanted to try to make other Bahamian recipes, but we could not find fresh conch in our area.