Where does Johnny Cakes come from?

Johnny Cakes — country of origin: St. Kitts & Nevis.

What is Johnny Cakes made of?

Flour, baking powder, salt, water.

How do you pronounce Johnny Cakes?

Johnny Cakes (British English) is pronounced /ˈdʒɒni keɪks/.

Johnny Cakes

Pronunciation (IPA) /ˈdʒɒni keɪks/

Small deep-fried cakes of flour, baking powder, salt and water, eaten for breakfast or with saltfish across the Caribbean, including Saint Kitts.

Also known as: Johnnycakes · Johnny cake

Allergens & declarations

Contains

Cereals (gluten)

Wheat

Contains cereals and gluten-containing products

This describes the classic recipe, so you know what to ask about. It is not a declaration for any particular kitchen — recipes and suppliers vary, and only the restaurant can tell you what is in the dish it serves.

In detail

Johnny cakes are small deep-fried cakes of flour dough, eaten for breakfast or with saltfish across the Caribbean, including Saint Kitts.

Johnny cakes are a fried flour dough found in many Caribbean kitchens, and they are a common breakfast in Saint Kitts. The name is shared with a different food: in New England, johnnycake is a thin griddle bread made from cornmeal, so a guest asking for johnnycake in the United States may expect something quite different.

What it really is

The dough is made from flour, baking powder, salt and water, mixed until it holds together and then shaped into small cakes. They are deep-fried in hot oil until the outside turns golden and the inside is cooked through. The usual dough has no other ingredients, so the flavour is plain and the character comes from the frying and from what the cake is eaten with. Size and texture differ from one cook to the next, and a Johnny cake from one kitchen may be quite unlike one from another.

How it's served

Hot from the fryer, while the outside is still crisp.
With saltfish, which is salted cod, as the usual partner at breakfast.
On their own, or alongside other food as a bread for the meal.

Name the dish as Johnny Cakes and say that they are deep-fried.
Flag wheat, since the flour is wheat flour.
If you serve them with saltfish, flag fish as a separate allergen and say so on the menu line.
If the cakes share a fryer with fish, prawns or other seafood, declare the crustaceans, molluscs or fish as a cross-contact risk.
State the portion, such as the number of cakes, because sizes vary between kitchens.

Typical ingredients

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Frequently asked questions

What is Johnny Cakes?: Small deep-fried cakes of flour, baking powder, salt and water, eaten for breakfast or with saltfish across the Caribbean, including Saint Kitts.
Where does Johnny Cakes come from?: Johnny Cakes — country of origin: St. Kitts & Nevis.
What is Johnny Cakes made of?: Flour, baking powder, salt, water.
Which allergens does Johnny Cakes contain?: Contains cereals and gluten-containing products.
What is Johnny Cakes also known as?: Johnnycakes, Johnny cake.
How do you pronounce Johnny Cakes?: Johnny Cakes (British English) is pronounced /ˈdʒɒni keɪks/. Select the speaker button next to the dish name to hear it.