Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

A hoecake is a small cake made of cornmeal. This type of bread is particularly associated with the cuisine of the Southern and Atlantic U.S. states.12

Hoecakes are among the simplest variations of cornbread, made from a mixture of cornmeal, water, and salt. They are named for the historical practice of baking them on the flat of a hoe over a wood fire.2

Cornbreads, including hoecakes, tend to be crumbly and do not keep well. This is because corn lacks elastic gluten, preventing it from being raised with yeast. Therefore, most cornbreads are leavened with baking powder or baked unleavened, even when wheat flour is included.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. hoecake
  2. cornbread

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.