They’re not the same, but they aren’t all that different.
It was a crisp fall morning.
I instantly gravitated to the pancakes.
Credit: Getty Images
Never before had I seen such soft delicate cakes with dollops of whipped butter and sweet maple syrup.
Where had I been all these years?
When it comes to hoecakes vs. pancakes, what’s the difference?
And what’s a johnny cake?
Read on to learn more about each.
How Did Hoecakes Get Their Name?
Pancakes are sometimes called hoecakes in the South.
Most Southerners are familiar with lacy cornbread, also known as hot water cornbread.
A hoecake is a rustic fried version of a pancake made withground cornmeal.
Cornbread pancakes don’t rise, but are rather flat and crisp.
To make it lacy, you’re free to thin out the batter by adding more water.
What’s a Johnny Cake?
Historians also believe the name may have originated from what the Pawtuxet referred to as “Shawnee cakes.”
One of the first recipes for Johnny cakes was published in Amelia Simmons' cookbookThe First American Cookbookin 1796.
It may be served slightly sweet or savory.
The recipe can be modified by adding eggs, sugar, andbaking powder.
Top with honey, maple syrup, or sorghum butter for a hearty breakfast or a side.
Smithsonian Magazine.A Brief History of Pancakes.
Updated February 21, 2023.
Merriam-Webster.Pancake Definition & Meaning.
