These Hoe Cakes are legit the perfect blend of fried cornbread and pancakes. I love them fried crisp on the outside with a nice tender fluffy inside. Just a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup is all you need to set these off.
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How to make hoe cakes
Mix the Batter
Step 1: Grab a bowl and with a wooden spoon, stir together your dry ingredients.
Step 2: Pour in the buttermilk slowly.
Step 3: Crack that egg in and give the yolk a little nudge with the edge of your spoon.
Step 4: Add water and your choice of fat or oil, and stir well. You’re aiming for a thick soup texture, but be ready to add a splash more water if necessary.
Fry them up
Step 5: Preheat your skillet. make sure it’s well greased with your chosen fat. Use a 1/8 cup measure to drop the batter in, watching as they transform into golden circles of deliciousness.
Step 6: Once the edges start bubbling and the center sets, flip those cakes and fry until perfection. Drain on paper towels if needed and serve em hot!
Hoe Cakes Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup self-rising white cornmeal
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/3 cup buttermilk I used coconut milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup water or more as needed
- 2 tablespoons melted fat or oil bacon grease, fried chicken grease, butter, or vegetabile oil
- Butter or mixed butter and vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Add the buttermilk slowly. Mix in the egg, cutting into the yolk with the spoon’s edge to help it mix in better. Add the water and fat or oil and stir well. The texture should be like thick soup, so you may need to add more water.
- I like to fry the cornbread cakes in my grandmother’s cast-iron skillet or on a flat iron griddle, but any skillet or grillded will be fine. Heat the skillet or griddle over medium heat and grease it well with the fat of your choice (butter is delicious, but it tends to burn unless you mix it with a little oil). Once the skillet is hot and the fat is sizzling, drop the batter from a 1/8 cup (2-tablespoon) measure into the skillet, in batches if necessary. Fry the cakes until the edges are bubbling and the centers are set, then flip with a spatula to fry them on the other side until they’re done. Like with pancakes, you can’t say how long it will take, but the second side always cooks faster than the first. If the cakes seem greasy, drain them on paper towels before serving hot.
Notes
Can I freeze them?
Absolutely boos! Wrap completely cooled cakes in plastic wrap then add to a freezer bag. Toss in the freezer with the date on them. They will last for up to 2 months.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Keep it Thick: The batter will need to be thick but you can use your gut. If it seems a bit too thick, add a little water to thin it. Just remember the thickness helps hold the shapes of the hoe cakes.
- Use Oil AND Butter: I love the mixture of both oil and butter so you get that nice richness and flavor but those cakes cook up perfectly without burning.
- Use a Cast Iron Skillet: Southerners know that an old-school cast iron skillet helps evenly cook these.
- Serve Right Away: To keep that bomb texture in place, it’s best to eat these babies right after they are fried.
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I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Serving Suggestions
- Classic Southern Breakfast: Scramble up some eggs, make some candied bacon, classic cheese grits and serve up these hoecakes.
- Soul Food Sunday Supper: Go classic with big mama’s fried chicken, collard greens, candied sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, and baked macaroni and cheese y’all.
- Entertaining Brunch: Make a nice carb spread with these hoecakes, angel biscuits, and sawmill gravy. Pair along with ambrosia, hash browns, and easy breakfast casserole.
- Stews, Soups, Chilis, Galore!: Nothing like some johnnycakes with a classic chili, beef stew, brisket chili, seafood gumbo and chicken and dumplings.
Recipe help
I suggest mixing the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and storing in the fridge. When you are ready to fry, combine and cook them up.
It should be pretty thick. If it is too thin, it will spread and not cook up fluffy.
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These look incredible – so fluffy! You totally rocked on the show! Loved it and your book. The mango swirl carrot cake and rainbow sherbet cupcakes are next on our list to make 🙂
oh how i love pancakes. pretty sure I could eat them all day every day, and johnny cakes have been on my to do list for months now. these look down right perfect
Thank you so so much my dear!
One of my favorite southern recipes!! These look awesome, Jocelyn!
These look so perfect! You are killing it Jocelyn — I love all of your demos! And your cookbook 🙂
Awww thank you Ashley!
Oh, I wish I had that plate of cakes in front of me right now Jocelyn! They look wonderful!
Yes you would love them!
I read about Johnny Cakes when I was a kid in Little House on the Prairie and never knew what they were. Now I can’t wait to try them!
They are super delish!
You’re SO FAMOUS! And I clearly NEED johnny cakes in my life-they look insanely delish!
No way! Hahaha Thanks Hon!
These pancakes look incredible- so fluffy and packed with buttery flavor! Best of luck on the Today Show tomorrow- what an exciting opportunity 🙂
Thank you so much Medha!!
What an exciting and awesome opportunity! You’ll do great tomorrow! 🙂
Thank you so much!
Love, Love your recipes, just like my momma’s****
Thank you so much my dear!
Thanks Baby