Family Food: Buttermilk Pancakes
Fluffy and tasty even on their own, these are our house pancakes. I’d even pack a whisk into my suitcase just to be able to serve these buttermilk pancakes when we’re travelling. They’re that easy to make. And they’re that good!
I was initially drawn to this recipe because there’s no sugar in the pancakes (I was obsessed with omitting sugar from my toddler’s diet; if your family prefers something sweeter, check out Dawn’s fab recipes for peanut butter pancakes and cottage cheese pancakes). However, two additional details make this recipe extra special. Buttermilk gives the pancakes an appealing tang and complexity of flavour. And folding in the egg whites gives them a natural fluffy airiness (which is further sustained by baking powder). I always have a stash of these buttermilk pancakes in the freezer because T frequently gets up in the morning asking to have them for breakfast. In a pinch, he gets them with a drizzle of maple syrup. Otherwise, they’re topped with homemade blueberry sauce or bananas sautéed in butter.
Buttermilk Pancakes
Adapted from goddess of baking Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible.
Makes 20 pancakes measuring 10cm across.
227g (1¾ cups dip and sweep) cake flour
4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups (484g) buttermilk
½ tsp cream of tartar
57 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Combine the cake flour, baking powder and sea salt in a large bowl. Whisk to blend.
Combine the egg yolks and buttermilk. Blend with a fork (save this fork for blending the batter later).
In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks form when the whisk is raised slowly. I find that using the whisk attachment on my stick blender makes quick work of this.
Add the yolk and buttermilk mixture to the flour and mix slightly with a fork. Stir in the butter. Do not overwork the batter or the pancakes will be tough. The batter should be lumpy. Fold in the egg whites.
Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan to medium-high. Lightly butter it and use a ¼ cup (60ml) measuring spoon or ladle to pour rounds of batter onto it. Once bubbles rise to the surface of the pancake and it slides easily, flip it over. Once the underside is golden brown, remove and keep warm while cooking the remaining batter.
Alternatively, cool and freeze, layered with baking parchment, in a zippered freezer bag. Reheat by microwaving it directly from the freezer.
About Su-Lyn Tan
Su-Lyn is Aun's better half and for many years, the secret Editor behind this blog known to readers simply as S. Su-Lyn is an obsessive cook and critical eater whose two favourite pastimes are spending time with her three kids and spending time in the kitchen. She looks forward to combining the two in the years to come.
Wow, this must be the first time I’ve come across a recipe that not only tells you how to measure (dip and sweep), but also where you can conserve utensils to minimise washing. Thanks! (=
Dear Chenyze
Haha 🙂 Most American baking books will tell you if they’ve used the dip and sweep as a standard measuring technique. But it’s usually hidden in the introduction or at the back of the book, which most readers often skip. I particularly love Rose Levy Beranbaum’s books because she is extra specific throughout her recipes.
Of course, the beauty of blogging is that I can add more quirky details such has instructions for minimising washing. I use these recipes myself (it’s so much easier to search for them online), so the notes are also there to remind me to be efficient 🙂 I hope you find the time to try making these pancakes.
hello! this recipe looks amazing!! question though.. i’m always under the impression that cake flour is not good because its gone through a lot of chemical processes to become cake flour. is this true? also, instead of using cake flour, can i use regular flour?
Hi Joanne
I’m not an expert on nutrition and hesitate to judge whether cake flour is more bad for you than all-purpose flour. I just enjoy everything in moderation :). However, if you search on the internet, there are lots of recipes for using all-purpose plus some cornstarch as a handy substitute for cake flour. I haven’t tried it out myself, but you might want to try that option if you prefer not to use cake flour.
Seriously fluffy pancakes. I subbed in 50% wholemeal pastry flour for still very good results.
Dear Sandra
Cool! Thanks for the tip 🙂
Hi S
Thanks for another wonderful recipe.
Made this twice and my kids had a ball of a time cutting out shapes from e pancake.
Btw what non stick cookware do u use? Can u share which brand?
I have been looking for a healthy choice, non Teflon one but still could not decide between Silit, Berndes, Greenpan. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Busy mum,
I’m so glad your children had fun with the pancakes.
I need to take a lesson from you on the non-stick cookware front as I am not as attuned to the research on it. I use Safico Pro and I am conscientious about replacing the pans once the surface shows any wear and tear. We also use a wide variety of just stainless steel, cast iron or enamel lined cast iron. The non-stick fry pan is specifically for pan-frying that doesn’t call for extreme high heat.
Can i replace the cream of tartar with baking soda?