Bahamian Johnny Cake (Sweet Skillet Bread)
Local name: Johnny cake
In short: Bahamian johnny cake, a soft, lightly sweet bread baked in minutes with no yeast, served with boil fish, souse or butter and jam. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 250 kcal
Johnny cake in the Bahamas is a dense, lightly sweet bread baked in a pan and cut into wedges or squares. It is the standard partner for boil fish and souse, and it is also eaten at breakfast with butter and jam. The dough takes ten minutes to mix with no yeast and no kneading. Eat it warm, when the crust is tender and the crumb is soft.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a 20 cm (8 inch) round or square baking pan.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.
- Pour in the melted butter and milk and stir with a wooden spoon just until the dough comes together. It will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Scrape the dough into the pan and press it out to the edges. Smooth the top with damp fingers.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.
- Brush the hot bread with the extra melted butter. Cool for 10 minutes, then cut into wedges or squares and serve warm.
Tips
- Stir the dough as little as possible. Overmixing makes the bread tough instead of tender.
- For a richer johnny cake, replace half the milk with evaporated milk. Day-old slices are good toasted with butter.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between Bahamian johnny cake and other johnnycakes?
Bahamian johnny cake is a baked, lightly sweet wheat bread. Elsewhere in the Caribbean and the US the name can mean fried dumplings or cornmeal cakes.
Can I make johnny cake ahead?
Yes. It keeps for 2 days wrapped at room temperature and freezes for up to 2 months. Warm slices briefly before serving.
What do you eat with johnny cake?
Boil fish, souse, stewed fish and scrambled eggs are classic partners. It also goes well with butter and jam for breakfast.
How long does it take to make Bahamian Johnny Cake (Sweet Skillet Bread)?
About 50 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 35 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bahamian Johnny Cake (Sweet Skillet Bread)?
About 250 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 37 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 250 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 8 g |
| Sodium | 360 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
