It is not the first time I got so inspired by a Smitten Kitchen post that I had to try it straight away. Yesterday I saw Deb’s latest post on carrot cake pancakes and last night I had it for supper.
These pancakes are of course even better for a lazy weekend breakfast or at a brunch with friends. Either way, you just have to try them. And of you’ve had a substantial lunch they’re pretty good for supper too (evidently).
The original recipe is from Joy the Baker but Deb at Smitten Kitchen made a few changes and I made some. My only change really was to omit cinnamon to the cream cheese topping and instead add lime zest to it, which I normally have with a carrot cake. To me it was the perfect touch of freshness the pancakes needed.
Carrot cake pancakes, makes about 15-16
Adapted from this recipe.Pancakes:
1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 egg
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 cup butter milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
butter for frying
Cream cheese topping:
115 g Philadelphia
1/4 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
grated zest from 1/2 lime
Mix flour, bicard, baking powder and spices in a large bowl. Mix butter milk, egg and sugar in a smaller bowl. Add the grated carrots to the wet mixture then transfer to the large bowl and mix it all together. Leave to rest for a few minutes whle preparing the topping.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth in a bowl. Add the sugar, vanilla and lime zest and combine.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Use about 2 tbsp mixture per pancake and fry 3-4 at the time. Keep the fried ones warm in the oven until you’re done with all the pancakes. Serve with a generous dollop of the topping. Dig in!
