It would be criminal if the first pancake post I put on #LifeIsGoodnow wasn’t a tried-and-true classic that I make at least twice a month. These cakes are light, fluffy, and the perfect base for any toppings/fillings. It’s truly a blank canvas, so have at it Van Gogh. Winter is upon us – break out the cast-iron and let your creativity flourish.
I have worked in the food industry for ~5 years. These years and an engineering background, have given me a fascination towards food that is a bit different from the average Joe. I have spent many winters snuggled up perusing cook books and watching endless Youtube videos from Bon Appetit. This path soon led to me finding the work of J. Kenji Lopez – Alt. His book called The Food Lab, perfectly illustrates the minutia of scientific principles that take place within making the perfect dish. This new perspective of how to create was enlightening. I was hooked. I naturally gravitated towards the breakfast items and then I found these pancakes…
A common philosophy in nutrition is the saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” A tower of pancakes sounds to me like the perfect way to commence the day. This recipe is one that I modified from the original buttermilk pancake post found within The Food Lab.
A quick heads up, I am pretty lactose intolerant so a few modifications have been made to allow for a happy tummy :). I have left butter in the recipe due to the low lactose content of this food.
As a true engineer, I have listed all ingredients with their respective volumetric and mass measurements. If you remember back to ~6th grade Science Class, density is an important measurement. Packing those measuring cups with flour and other powders isn’t doing yourself any good. For ultimate consistency, follow the mass measurements. If you’re a free spirit who follows intuition, have at it – the end product is still delectable!
Recipe & Instructions
Dry Ingredients!
Wet Ingredients
- Let’s start with the Dry Ingredients: Combine the all purpose and wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk until homogenous.
- Egg Work: Separate egg whites and egg yolks. Place egg whites in a large bowl for whisking. Whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form! EMBRACE THE FOREARM PUMP!
- Vegan Buttermilk: Combine non-dairy milk + APCV, mix, and let sit for 3 – 5 minutes.
- For the Liquid Ingredients: Melt better and let cool to room temperature. Place egg yolks and vegan buttermilk in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter while whisking.
- Liquid + Dry – TECHNIQUE: Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry mix. Place the egg whites into the mixture and gently fold to combine. There should be lumps within this mixture. We are trying to hydrate the flour during this step while maintaining volume from the whipped egg whites.
- Cooking: Heat cast-iron or heavy bottom non-stick skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add a small amount of butter or oil to the surface and evenly coat with a paper towel. Use 1/4 cup dry measure to dose pancakes into pan. Cook until bubbles start to appear on top and the bottom gets that lacey golden appearance. Everyone’s favorite part: flip that cake. Cook for ~ 2 more minutes until pancakes are cooked through. SERVE IMMEDIATELY! These heavenly pillows will deflate over time. Pro Tip: Store pancakes on a wire/non wire baking sheet in a warm oven if cooking all pancakes prior to serving.
- ENJOY! My all-time toppings include – butter + peanut butter + maple syrup. I’m a firm believer in real maple syrup. None of those high fructose corn syrup knockoffs. Treat these pancakes with respect, they deserve better.
There you have it, a recipe that can become your new go-to Sunday morning treat. I think we all deserve a little extra pancake love in 2021. Let me know how this recipe works for you and what your favorite toppings are!
Much Love – Kyle
P.s. Here are some options for some fun variations:
- Cornmeal! Replace up to 1/2 cup of flour with cornmeal! Combine this with strawberries or a fresh strawberry compote, it’s pure bliss
- Fillings! Generally fold in half a cup of the following into the batter:
- Chopped Nuts (Walnuts are my fave)
- Banana Slices
- Chocolate Chips or Chunks
- Bacon Bits – Savory Sensation
- Oats
- Raisins
- The ingredient/combinations are endless! Have fun
