• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Lindsey Farr logo
  • All Recipes
  • Trending
  • Dessert
  • Dinner
  • Breakfast
menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • Trending
  • Dessert
  • Dinner
  • Breakfast
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • All Recipes
    • Trending
    • Dessert
    • Dinner
    • Breakfast
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Side Dishes

    Northern Johnny Cake

    Published: Mar 7, 2013 | Updated: May 9, 2022

    PinShareYummlyTweetEmail

    Northern Johnny Cake is a dense, substantial cornmeal side dish and would pair perfectly with chili or any hearty winter soup or stew. It's tender, moist and a lovely alternative to cornbread.

    Jump to Recipe
    Northern Johnny cake

    As promised, here is the delectable side dish served with yesterday’s Barbecue Chicken! My fiancé and I are quite attached to our Sweet Southern Cornbread, but I thought it was time to give a Northern recipe a chance. Some version of the Northern Johnny Cake appears in almost all of my heritage cookbooks. It is a dense, substantial side dish and would pair perfectly with chili or any hearty winter soup or stew.

    The method of cooking the Northern Johnny Cake in the American Woman’s Cookbook is definitely more involved than any of the other recipe suggests, but they all say to scald the milk and cornmeal before adding any other ingredients. I am not convinced that this involved method is necessary, but I will keep you posted as I try others!

    Northern Johnny Cake in skillet
    I love my cast iron skillet. Love.

    It was dense, yet still moist, and is certainly a healthier side than its buttery Southern cousin! I even drizzled it with maple syrup and ate it for breakfast. Not my finest moment but it was so worth it!

    Maybe not super nutritious, but very good.
    Maybe not super nutritious, but very good.
    Northern Johnny Cake on plate with maple syrup

    Northern Johnny Cake

    Chef Lindsey
    Northern Johnny Cake is a dense, substantial cornmeal side dish and would pair perfectly with chili or any hearty winter soup or stew. It's tender, moist and a lovely alternative to cornbread.
    PRINT Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 people
    Calories 155 kcal

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 cups cornmeal
    • 2 cups buttermilk
    • 2 tablespoons shortening (or butter)
    • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (or granulated)
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 tablespoon cold water
    Makes: 6inch6 x 6inch round
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    • Cook together the cornmeal, milk, shortening, sugar and salt in a double boiler for about twenty minutes. Keep the water to a simmer if possible. You don’t want to scorch the cornmeal mixture (oops).
    • Allow the mixture to cool then add the well-beaten eggs and the soda dissolved in the water.
    • Bake in a shallow cast iron pan for about thirty minutes. You could also use a well-greased baking dish.
    • The author Ruth also provides a quicker cooking method, “ In case there is not time to cook and cool the meal, the following method of mixing may be used. Mix and sift together the meal, sugar, salt and soda, add the sour milk gradually, then the well-beaten eggs and the melted fat. Bread made by this method does not have as good texture as that made by the first method.”

    Notes

    t was dense, yet still moist, and is certainly a healthier side than its buttery Southern cousin! I even drizzled it with maple syrup and ate it for breakfast. Not my finest moment but it was so worth it!
    The American Woman’s Cookbook
    Keyword cornbread, cornbread dressing, easy side dish, thanksgiving
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cheflindseyfarr

    You May Also Like

    • Roasted Spiced Butternut Squash
    • Baked Acorn Squash Halves
    • Roasted Acorn Squash Slices
    • Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole
    PinShareYummlyTweetEmail

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Lindsey! I am the baker, recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Chef Lindsey Farr. I believe in delicious homemade food and the power of dessert! 

    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • Caramel Pastry Cream
      Caramel Pastry Cream

    • Apricot Kolaches
      Apricot Kolaches

    • Authentic Hungarian Walnut Rolls
      Authentic Hungarian Walnut Rolls

    • The BEST Meatloaf Recipe
      The BEST Meatloaf Recipe

    • Baileys Irish Coffee Caramel Milk Chocolate Brownies
      Baileys Irish Coffee Caramel Milk Chocolate Brownies

    Footer

    About

    • Home
    • About
    • Newsletter
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    Browse

    • Recipe Index
    • Dessert Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Dinner Recipes

    Our Brands

    • Pastry Creations

    Follow

    Copyright © 2023 Chef Lindsey Farr, LLC

    Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

    Email sent!