Caribbean Johnny Cakes

A Caribbean Johnny Cake opened on a white plate and spread with jam and butter. A basket of Johnny Cakes in the background.

Course: Breads

Cuisine: Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean, Hispanic, Puerto Rican/Hispanic

Keyword: biscuit, bread, Johnny cakes, yani-clecas

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 30

Servings: Johnny Cakes

Calories: 374kcal

Author: Marta Rivera

Caribbean Johnny Cakes (Puerto Rican Yani-Clecas) are fried biscuits made with white flour, butter, and whole milk.

This Caribbean version of fried dumplings has a crisp crust and fluffy interior. It's a special treat for those who grew up eating them, but you'll love them at first bite.

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Ingredients

4 cups (520 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
4 tablespoons (50 grams) butter-flavored shortening
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
1 large egg
1 1/4 cup (300 milliliters) whole milk
oil for frying (about 6 cups or 1 1/2 liters)

Instructions

Heat the Oil

Begin heating the frying oil over medium heat to 360°F (180°C) in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.

Mix the Johnny Cake Dough

Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and kosher salt to a large mixing bowl.
Use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients in the bowl until well mixed.
Add the cold butter and shortening to the bowl and use your fingers (or a pastry blender) to cut the fat into the dry mixture.
The flour mixture will resemble a coarse meal when you're done cutting in the fat.
Whisk the egg until it's runny in a small bowl.
Add the whole milk to the egg in the bowl and whisk these together to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture in the bowl and use your hand to blend them just until a dough forms.
There may be some loose flour at the bottom of the bowl, but as long as the dough comes together, stop mixing.

Rest the Dough

Cover the bowl containing the bowl with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let the dough rest in the fridge until your oil reaches 320°F (160°C).

Roll and Cut Out the Dough

Line a sheet pan with wax or parchment paper and set it aside.
Fold the chilled dough 2 or 3 times on a lightly floured surface.
Next, roll the dough out with a rolling pin until it's 1/2-inch thick.
Use a 2 1/2-inch round cutter to cut biscuits from the dough. Place each dough circle on the paper-lined sheet pan.
You will get 8 rounds of dough from the first cut. Press the scraps of dough together and roll over them lightly to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut out 3 more rounds.
Press the dough together once more, rolling until it is 1 inch thick. Cut one more dough round out from these scraps and discard the remaining scraps.

Chill the Dough Until the Oil Reaches Temperature

Return the pan of dough to the fridge to chill until the oil reaches proper frying temperature.
Place a wire rack over a sheet pan to serve as a draining station for the fried Johnny cakes.
Add four Johnny cakes to the hot oil once a deep fat thermometer reads 360°F (180°C).
Fry them on the first side for 1 1/2 minutes.
Use a pair of tongs to flip the cakes over and fry them for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
Johnny cakes usually take 3 1/2 to 4 minutes to fry until golden brown.
*Reduce the temperature if your cakes are turning brown too quickly. Increase the temperature if they aren't browning by 2 minutes, or the cakes will come out soggy with oil.

Drain, Then Serve

Remove the golden brown Johnny cakes from the oil and allow them to drain on
Continue frying the remaining circles of dough in batches of four.
Serve Johnny cakes while still warm with butter and jam or as a side dish to hearty soups and stews.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

Use a neutral-tasting oil for frying, such as canola, peanut, lard, or vegetable oil.
Replace the whole milk with coconut milk.
Use plain vegetable shortening or lard instead of butter shortening.

Tips and Techniques:

Make sure the ingredients– butter, shortening, egg, and milk– are as cold as possible to ensure fluffy Johnny cakes.
Over-mixing the dough will cause the Johnny cakes to come out dense and flat instead of light and fluffy.
The rest period allows the dough to hydrate, sucking up the rest of the loose flour in the bowl.
Since it only takes 5-6 minutes to make the dough, the oil won't be hot enough to fry by the time you've finished mixing the dough. Allow it to hydrate in the fridge while the oil comes up to temperature.
If you don't have a wire rack, drain the cakes on a brown paper bag to remove as much oil as possible.
Avoid draining the Johnny cakes on paper towels since they trap moisture, making them soggy.

Storage Instructions:

Store leftover Johnny cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Avoid storing bread like this in the refrigerator, or they'll stale faster.
Reheat the Johnny cakes in the air fryer or a toaster oven for 1-2 minutes to give them a fresh taste.

Freezing Instructions:

To freeze Johnny cake dough after mixing and before frying:
1. Cut the dough into 12 circles, placing them on the baking sheet.
2. Freeze the raw dough until solid, then transfer the circles to a freezer-safe storage bag and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
3. Thaw the frozen Johnny cake dough in the fridge on a sheet pan overnight.
4. Fry the dough as instructed.
To freeze Caribbean Johnny cakes after frying them:
1. Allow the cakes to cool completely.
2. Transfer them to a freezer storage bag and freeze them for up to 2 months.
3. Thaw the Johnny cakes at room temperature, then enjoy them after reheating them in the air fryer or oven.

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