When you share or print a 12 Tomatoes recipe, you’re making mealtime meaningful. | May 18, 2025

We absolutely love a nostalgic treat here at 12 Tomatoes and the one I have for you today is a real winner. With plenty of warming spices, molasses, and brown sugar, these Sailor Jacks pack a whole lot of flavor in a little package. The simple batter is baked in a muffin tin and then turned upside down and glazed to perfection. Where the name comes from we’re not quite sure, but they’re sturdy enough for sea and definitely the kind of treat you want on a breezy day!

For this recipe, it’s all about the spice blend: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and even a hint of white pepper come together in the most beautiful way. A little cocoa powder and molasses deepen the flavor even more and bring that rich brown color. From there a little tang is added in with some buttermilk and plump little raisins add some extra sweetness to every bite.