Description
Maryland Crab Cake is a classic seafood dish featuring jumbo lump crab meat mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, spices, and panko crumbs, then baked until golden and tender. This recipe emphasizes preserving the lump crab texture for a deliciously moist and flavorful cake, perfect for a sophisticated appetizer or main course.
Ingredients
Scale
Crab Cake Ingredients
- 1 lb jumbo lump crab meat (picked over, shells removed)
- ½ cup plain panko crumbs (or crushed saltine crackers)
- 6 Tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay (or J.O. seasoning)
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter (cut into 8 pieces, plus additional for greasing pan)
Serving Suggestions
- Tartar sauce (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet: Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet with butter to prevent sticking. Set it aside for later use.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, egg, yellow mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, parsley, salt, and black pepper until fully combined and smooth.
- Combine crab and crumbs: Gently fold in the jumbo lump crab meat and panko crumbs using a spatula. Be careful not to break up the crab lumps to keep the texture intact.
- Form crab cakes: Using a heaping ⅓ cup scoop (about 3.15 oz or 90g), pack the crab mixture firmly and transfer to the buttered baking sheet. Space each cake at least 2 inches apart. If cakes tend to fall apart, use your hands to press pieces back together and pack more firmly into the scoop. Do not flatten the cakes.
- Add butter topping: Place a small piece of butter on the top center of each crab cake to add moisture and flavor during baking.
- Chill the crab cakes: Cover the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours to set the cakes before baking.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Remove crab cakes from the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap.
- Bake the crab cakes: Place the baking sheet with crab cakes on the center rack and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through.
- Broil for browning: For a nicely browned exterior, switch the oven to broil on high and broil the crab cakes for 2 minutes on the same oven rack without moving them.
Notes
- Use jumbo lump crab meat for the best texture and flavor; avoid smaller crab pieces to maintain the characteristic lumps.
- Don’t over-mix the ingredients to keep the crab meat intact and prevent soggy cakes.
- Chilling the crab cakes before baking helps them hold their shape and enhances flavor melding.
- If desired, serve warm with tartar sauce or a lemon wedge for added brightness.
- Watch the crab cakes carefully during broiling to prevent burning.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Maryland crab cake, baked crab cakes, seafood appetizer, classic crab recipe, Old Bay crab cake
