Carrot Cake Pancakes

Make brunch ideas ahead for Mother’s Day

BE PICTURED IN; CHARACTERIZED IN:

Nothing brings cheer like a big stack of pancakes falling onto the breakfast table. This version has a vegetable and fruit twist! The classic buttermilk pancake base is filled with carrot cake-inspired ingredients. The good news is unlike a cake, no baking is required or long waits to dig in!

Maple syrup is always a winner to drizzle on top, but a lightly sweetened and tangy cream cheese topping is even better. These pancakes deliver the signature flavor of carrot cake, but for breakfast.

Carrots in pancakes? Yes!

A big slice of carrot cake with a smooth cream cheese frosting is pure bliss. You may be surprised that turning the base flavors of the dessert into a BBQ cake form is actually quite easy.

It might seem odd to add fresh carrots to the batter, but the finely grated root vegetables blend seamlessly into any pancake. Carrots are naturally sweet and lose their crunch as they cook, making them a great combination in the recipe. you just want Be sure to use the fine or smallest holes in your box grater for the carrots.

Bold, warm spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves add to the delicious flavors that the baked version delivers. Chopped pecans add a delicious, unexpected crunch to every bite. Raisins, whether you love them or hate them, add just a touch of extra sweetness.

Just a little dollop of cream cheese topping makes these pancakes a borderline dessert without being overwhelming. A simple combination of soft cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and whipping cream, whipped lightly and fluffy is a special treat you won’t want to miss.

Swaps, Proposals and Substitutions

Nuts: You can skip adding nuts entirely and the flavor would still be delicious.
buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute milk—preferably whole milk, but any milk will work. However, the batter won’t turn out that thick, and you’ll need to add some kind of acidic ingredient.
Two cups of whole milk + two tablespoons of lemon juice. Let it rest for five minutes before adding it to the batter, or
1.5 cups milk + 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream whisked together. In this case, your batter will still be thick.

The 5 Best Substitutes for Buttermilk

CONTINUE READING:

Tips for making the best pancakes

Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, leaving a few strips of flour. This will ensure that the batter is not over-mixed and becomes rubbery instead of tender.
Make sure the pancake batter sits for ten minutes before baking to allow the ingredients to hydrate.
The dough will be very thick – use the back of the spoon to quickly shape it into a circle about three and a half to four inches in the pan.
Pancakes are ready to flip when small air bubbles rise to the surface and burst into the wet batter.
Don’t press the pancakes down after turning them! This will make them flat instead of big and fluffy. This will force out all the nice bubbles that formed from the baking soda and baking soda to make the cakes.

Which is better: oil or butter?

Vegetable oil is my favorite cooking oil for pancakes. It’s tasteless, has a high smoke point, and only takes a thin layer to coat the pan.

Butter is much tastier—however, as the milk solids boil, they begin to brown. Leaving multiple batches of pancakes in the pan for too long can result in the cakes taking on a burnt taste. If you use butter, just wipe down the pan with a paper towel in between to make sure you use fresh butter every time.

How to make a large batch of pancakes

The best way to keep the pancakes warm so everyone can eat together is to keep them in a low oven.

Preheat your oven to 200°F.
Place a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet pan.
Place the cooked pancakes on the baking rack and place in the oven while you continue to bake pancakes.
Don’t leave the pancakes in the oven for more than 20-30 minutes or they may dry out.

The best way to freeze pancakes

The beauty of these pancakes is that they freeze beautifully, so you can reheat them whenever the cravings hit. When the pancakes have cooled, sandwich them between parchment paper and place in a resealable bag. They can be frozen like this for up to a month.

It is best to thaw frozen pancakes individually, loosely wrapped in a paper towel on a plate. Defrost on high power until warmed through, about 60 to 75 seconds.

I actually do the thawing method and then toast them on low to get a nice crispy contrast on the surface, just like frozen waffles. That way they taste just like you made them fresh!

More pancake recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
How to make fluffy buttermilk pancakes
Homemade pancake mix
Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes
Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes
Chocolate chip pancakes with raspberry sauce

preparation time
20 minutes

cooking time
25 minutes

total time
45 minutes

portions
16 pancakes

For the cream cheese topping (makes 1 1/2 cups):
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
1/2 cup (81 g) golden brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For the carrot cake pancakes:
2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (24 g) brown sugar, packaged
1 teaspoon (3 g) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2g) baking soda
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
1 teaspoon (3 g) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (480 ml) buttermilk
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons (44 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (116 g) carrots, peeled and finely grated
1/2 cup (57g) pecan halves, finely chopped, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 cup (37g) coarsely chopped raisins
Vegetable oil, as needed for cooking
Serve:
Pure maple syrup, for topping as needed

Make the cream cheese topping:

In the bowl of a food processor or using a hand mixer, combine cream cheese, heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat ingredients together on medium speed until fully combined and smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed, 45 to 60 seconds. Set aside and bake pancakes.
Combine the dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
Combine the wet ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, cooled melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the finely grated carrots, chopped pecans, and chopped raisins.
Make the dough:

Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, there should be a few streaks of flour and the batter should be lumpy. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes before baking. The plain flour should hydrate while the dough is setting; If it doesn’t, stir the batter once or twice and let it rest for a few more minutes.
Prepare the pan:

Heat a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and use a paper towel to wipe a thin layer of oil over the surface.
Cook pancakes:

Pour 1/4 cup of pancake batter into the pan. Form a circle with the back of a spoon. Cook three pancakes at a time if your pan allows.

Bake until the pancakes are golden brown, the edges are set and a few small bubbles appear on the top, about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully flip the pancakes and bake until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining batter, grease the pan as needed.
Surcharge:

Serve pancakes with cream cheese topping, chopped pecans, and maple syrup.