Fluffy Corn Cakes with Bacon and Maple Syrup

Breakfast for Dinner.  Who doesn’t love the thought?  I particularly like a good breakfast for dinner, because I am NOT a morning person, and generally way too lazy to cook a good, hearty, classic breakfast first thing.  I have developed a repertoire of night-before recipes for when the need to cook a morning breakfast arises, but morning is not my best time in the kitchen. So early morning waffles, pancakes, hollandaise sauce for eggs benedict are out. In the morning.  But for dinner, it’s a whole different matter.  You could spend all day working on breakfast. Use every tool in the kitchen.  Pull out waffle irons and griddles. I have several friends who make “breakfast for dinner night” a big occasion for their kids, and they all love it.

So I propose these fluffy, pillow-y corn cakes for your next breakfast for dinner experience.  Of course, you are more than welcome to make these for breakfast in the morning.  In fact, the batter will keep overnight if you whisk it well before frying.  And these would make a real treat for a Sunday brunch.  Add the salty bacon and a drizzle of sweet syrup, and I don’t care what time of day it is, these will make you happy.

Fluffy Corn Cakes with Bacon and Maple Syrup

Crispy bacon and maple are syrup are my favorite way to serve these, but they are also good with butter melting over the top, or with a dollop of sour cream.

2 large eggs

1½ cups buttermilk

Salt and pepper

1 (16-ounce) can cream-style corn

3/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1 ½ cups self-rising flour

2 Tablespoons yellow corn meal

Canola oil for frying

1 pound thick-sliced bacon, cooked

Maple syrup

Lay out a baking sheet covered in two layers of paper towels and set close to the stove.

In a large skillet, preferably non-stick, heat ¼ inch of canola oil.

While the oil is heating, combine the eggs, buttermilk, salt and pepper and corn and mix together well. Mix together the flour and cornmeal and add to the wet ingredients until thoroughly incorporated.

Test that the oil is hot enough – drop in a little batt, and if it sizzles wildly, you are ready to go.  Drop ¼ cup of batter at a time into the hot oil.  I use a measuring scoop and slowly pour into the oil, swirling into a nice round shape.  Fry 2- 3 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.  Depending on the size of the skillet, you can do about three at a time.  Remove the cooked cakes to the paper lined baking sheet to drain.

Serve immediately with crispy bacon and maple syrup.

Makes about 18 corn cakes