Southern Hoe Cakes Recipe

Name: Southern Hoe Cakes Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 10-12 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 cup yellow or white cornmeal; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs; 1 1/4 cups whole milk; 1/2 cup bacon grease; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

... from Aunt Sandy's Kitchen

Serves: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Hoe cakes are a humble Southern recipe with deep roots, and they are still one of those practical dishes that works beside beans, greens, fried chicken, barbecue, soup, or a country-style breakfast. They cook quickly in a hot skillet and give you that crisp edge and tender center that makes cornmeal bread so comforting. Aunt Sandy’s version can be served warm as a bread, a simple side dish, or the old-fashioned way with melted butter and honey.

🛒 Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow or white cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup bacon grease
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

How to Make Southern Hoe Cakes

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. Add the milk and stir to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth and fully incorporated.
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
Add the bacon grease and butter to the skillet, allowing them to melt and heat through.
Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup for each cake, pour the batter into the hot skillet.
Cook until the edges are crisp and the bottoms are golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Flip and cook the other side for about 3 to 5 minutes more, until golden brown and cooked through.
Transfer the hoe cakes to a plate and repeat until all the batter is used.
Serve warm with melted butter and honey for an old-fashioned Southern-style finish.

Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Yellow or white cornmeal: Either one works. Yellow cornmeal has a slightly sweeter flavor and gives the hoe cakes a deeper golden color.
Use a hot skillet: The skillet needs to be hot enough to crisp the edges, but not so hot that the outside browns before the center cooks.
Bacon grease matters: Bacon grease gives these hoe cakes a rich, savory flavor. For a milder version, use part bacon grease and part butter or oil.
Do not overcrowd the skillet: Leave enough room to flip each hoe cake cleanly.
Serving idea: Hoe cakes can be served like cornbread with beans, greens, soups, stews, barbecue, or fried chicken.
George Washington-style serving: For the old-fashioned experience, serve the hoe cakes warm with melted butter and honey.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are hoe cakes?

Hoe cakes are old-fashioned cornmeal skillet cakes. They are usually cooked in fat on a hot griddle or skillet until the outside is golden and the edges are crisp.

Are hoe cakes the same as cornbread?

They are related, but not exactly the same. Cornbread is usually baked in a pan or skillet, while hoe cakes are cooked like small pancakes on the stovetop.

Can I use white cornmeal instead of yellow cornmeal?

Yes. White cornmeal gives a milder flavor and lighter color, while yellow cornmeal is slightly sweeter and makes the hoe cakes more golden.

Can I make hoe cakes without bacon grease?

Yes. Bacon grease gives the best old-fashioned flavor, but you can use butter, vegetable oil, or another cooking fat if needed.

What do you serve with hoe cakes?

Serve hoe cakes with pinto beans, collard greens, fried chicken, barbecue, soups, stews, breakfast eggs, or warm with butter and honey.

Can hoe cakes be reheated?

Yes. Reheat them in a skillet or oven so the edges crisp back up. The microwave works, but the texture will be softer.

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