Rhode Island Clam Cakes Recipe

Last night I tried making these delicious clam cakes. They were pretty easy to make and my hubby couldn't eat enough of them. Even my finicky son liked them.  Recipe below.

RI Clam Cakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk or beer
1 (6 ounce) can minced clams, undrained
1 teaspoon onion powder
pepper to taste

hot oil - 350 degrees

Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Batter will be thin.

I used corn oil to fry them in because it's what I had, but you can use any oil of your choice.  How much you use depends on the pot/pan you are using to fry the cakes in.  You want enough for the cakes to rise in and float freely.

The pic above is a Revere pot that was approx half filled with oil then preheated to 350 degrees.
Drop by soup spoon or cookie scoop into the hot oil. Let the batter drop down into the oil in a straight line. You will get odd shapes. It will hit the bottom of the pot, form up and then float.  The batter is runny so you won't be dropping dumpling like scoops into the oil.

Use a slotted spoon to get out any little bits that form.

Do not over crowd the pot. Just do a few at a time.

As the cakes turn golden on the bottom side, turn them gently in the oil and let them brown on the other side.  Remove to a bowl lined with paper towel to drain.

When you are done you can sprinkle salt on them if you like, or leave it up to your guests to salt their own. Serve with lemon and/or tartar sauce/cocktail sauce.

TIP: This recipe makes a very subtle clam flavor. If you want to amp up the flavor you may consider substituting clam juice for the milk/beer.  You can also increase the amount of minced clams.

TIP: Make to many or want to serve for a party?  Left overs can be reheated in hot oil. Or if you make the day before a party, heat up a fresh pan of oil and reheat the cakes for a few seconds each in the hot oil.

TIP: Cooking burns off the alcohol in the beer, so it is ok to use beer in the batter if you have people who don't drink or minors/children eating these cakes.  Consider using a special brew for your recipe. We used Sam Adams Porch Rocker.

TIP: This same batter would also be great for chicken or small bite size pieces of fish.