Cook it Fresh

From Top to bottom: Homemade pancake, Krusteaz pancake, Batter Blaster pancake

Pancakes are not really my favorite breakfast food.  If given the choice, I vastly prefer a flaky croissant or the the tender crispness of french toast to a plate of flapjacks.  I seem to be in the minority in this opinion, however, and therefore often find myself making a batch of pancakes for my husband, friends and family.  I have tried many different versions of pancakes over the years:  plain homemade, buttermilk homemade, using a boxed mix, and even a pre-made frozen variety.  I decided to try and seek out the tastiest, cheapest, and fastest way to make pancakes.  I enlisted the help of several friends and family members in this quest so as to supplement my own lukewarm pancake knowledge.  Originally I planned to compare only two pancake varieties, homemade and from a mix, but my husband convinced me to add a third option when he noticed a new product:  pancake batter in a spray can.  This product goes by the name “Batter Blaster”  and can be found in the refrigerator section of many grocery stores.  With the Batter Blaster there is no need for mixing or cleaning up messy bowls, simply point the spray nozzle at the hot griddle and spray out a steady stream of batter until the desired size of pancake is formed.  Could the Batter Blaster be the tasty, cheap, easy pancake solution I’ve been looking for?  Below is my favorite homemade pancake recipe and the results of our pancake tasting breakfast:

Buttermilk Pancakes

I love the flavor that buttermilk imparts to many baked goods but find that I rarely use up a whole carton before it spoils.  I found a solution to this dilemma in a wonderful product called SACO Cultured Buttermilk Blend, a powdered buttermilk substitute that can be found in the baking aisle.  The recipe below is based on the pancake recipe from the back of the Buttermilk Blend can, although I have added a few ingredients.  If you don’t have powdered buttermilk, just leave out the buttermilk powder in the dry ingredients and substitute 2 cups of milk or buttermilk for the water.   I usually use all-purpose flour for this recipe, but this week I decided to try using white whole wheat flour and I liked the results even better.  White whole wheat flour has all the nutritional benefits of whole wheat but looks and tastes more like all-purpose flour.  Try it out, I guarantee you’ll love it!

Makes about 20 medium sized pancakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup SACO Buttermilk Blend powder

2 cups all-purpose  or white whole wheat flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs

2 cups water

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1.  Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl.  In a another medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, water,  melted butter and vanilla.

2.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined, leaving the batter a little bit lumpy.

3.  Heat a buttered griddle or large non-stick pan over medium heat until hot (about 350 degrees on a griddle).  Using about 1/4 cup batter at a time, drop batter onto hot griddle and cook until the edges begin to look dry.  Flip the pancakes over and cook for about 30 seconds on the other side, or until browned.  Serve hot with butter and maple syrup.

Homemade Pancake mix on the left, Krusteaz mix on the right

After issuing an open invitation for pancake testers, I cooked up a batch of the homemade pancakes, a batch of Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix, and a can of Batter Blaster pancakes. Two griddles, 12 eggs, and a pound of bacon later, we had our results.  The tasters were split 50/50 between liking the homemade pancakes and the Krusteaz pancake mix.  No one preferred the Batter Blaster pancakes (the most expensive of the bunch) and they were referred to as “mushy”, “gooey”, and having a “weird taste”.  I must admit that the Batter Blaster was very quick and easy to use, but the resulting pancakes were very thin, flavorless and had a gummy texture. Those who liked the homemade pancakes cited the light texture as their favorite feature while those who preferred the pancakes from a Krusteaz mix liked the sweeter flavor that the mix provides.  On an aesthetic note, the homemade pancakes cooked to a nice caramely brown color while the pancakes from a mix never got really brown, no matter how long I cooked them.  We basically came to the conclusion that these preferences were probably the result of what we were used to growing up.  Some of us grew up on the sweeter flavor and chewier texture of pancakes from a mix while other of us remembered the fluffier texture and milder flavor of homemade.  As it turns out, it seems that pancake preference is heavily influenced by nostalgia and the memories of pancake breakfasts as a kid sitting around the table on Saturday mornings.  Apparently, none of our parents ever made pancakes that came from a can!

Bottom Line: If you’re making pancakes for a crowd, pancakes from a mix are the cheapest, fastest option.  If, however, you grew up eating homemade pancakes and are nostalgic for that same taste, I suggest indulging in the recipe above and let me know if it hits the spot!

Prices are based on a batch of 20 pancakes.