Equipment
Ingredients
Maple-Glazed Bacon
- 250 g thick-cut bacon
- 45 ml dark maple syrup
- 2 g black pepper, coarsely ground
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g white cornmeal, fine or medium grind
- 125 g all-purpose flour
- 10 g baking powder
- 3 g baking soda
- 4 g kosher salt
- 50 g sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
Wet Ingredients
- 240 ml buttermilk, room temperature
- 55 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large egg, room temperature
- 30 g unsalted butter, reserved for greasing skillet
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 268 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 22 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 512 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 61 mg
- Potassium
- 168 mg
- Calcium
- 118 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 27 mg
- Phosphorus
- 156 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 83 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.16 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 38 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 200C (400F) for the bacon. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the thick-cut bacon in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring the pieces do not overlap.
Bake the bacon in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, until the fat begins to render and the edges start to crisp.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Using a pastry brush, coat the bacon slices evenly with maple syrup and sprinkle with black pepper. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
While the bacon cooks, combine the white cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, grated cheddar cheese, and chives in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until thoroughly distributed.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs until smooth and uniform.
Pour the wet ingredients into the large mixing bowl containing the dry mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Lumps are acceptable; do not overmix.
Place a cast iron skillet over medium heat and melt a small pat of the reserved unsalted butter.
Pour 60ml portions of batter onto the hot skillet. Cook for about 3 minutes, until the edges set and bubbles appear on the surface.
Carefully flip the corn cakes with a spatula and cook for another 2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom and cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Serve the warm savory corn cakes immediately, topped with slices of the crispy maple-glazed bacon.
Chef's Notes
- Resting the batter for 10 minutes before cooking allows the white cornmeal to hydrate properly, resulting in a more tender crumb.
- Use Grade A Dark or Very Dark maple syrup for the bacon; lighter syrups lack the robust, molasses-like flavor needed to stand up to the savory pork.
- A well-seasoned cast iron skillet provides the best crust on the corn cakes, enhancing their textural contrast with the fluffy, cheesy interior.
- Wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel between batches if the butter begins to scorch, replacing it with a fresh pat of butter.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store bacon and corn cakes in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze corn cakes only. Bacon should be made fresh for optimal texture.
Reheating: Reheat corn cakes in a 175C/350F oven for 5-7 minutes. Reheat bacon in a skillet over low heat until warm and crisp.
Troubleshooting
Corn cakes are dense and heavy
Cause: Overmixing the batter developed too much gluten
Fix: Cannot be fixed once cooked
Prevention: Fold the wet and dry ingredients gently, leaving some visible lumps
Bacon burns before crisping
Cause: Maple syrup was added too early or oven temperature was too high
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Only add the maple syrup during the final 5 minutes of baking and monitor closely
Outside of corn cake is burning while the inside is raw
Cause: Skillet temperature is too high
Fix: Reduce heat immediately and finish cooking the current batch in a 175C/350F oven
Prevention: Maintain medium to medium-low heat on the skillet and allow it to preheat evenly
Cultural Context
Corn cakes, historically known as hoecakes or johnnycakes, have deep indigenous roots in the Americas and evolved into a Southern staple. Using white cornmeal provides a milder, slightly sweeter flavor compared to robust yellow cornmeal, serving as an excellent canvas for savory additions. Pairing these traditional cakes with candied maple bacon bridges Southern American and New England culinary traditions, creating an iconic autumnal dish.
