Carrot Cake Pancakes – Dream of warm weather and Easter bunnies with these light and fluffy Carrot Cake Pancakes drizzled in a maple-walnut syrup. It’s the perfect way to welcome the spring season!
As of today I’m officially getting excited about Easter and the whole spring season. There is a touch of warmth in the air and the weather forecast for the next couple of days is finally in the 60s and 70s. It is my hope that the world is going to turn green and colorful again soon!
I love how my neighborhood comes to life in the spring. I live at the end of a long row of town homes with a sidewalk that’s perfect for little kids to go back and forth on bikes, roller skates and scooters. Being on the end, there is a nice grassy area on the side of my house with a large, old tree, and a community playground. This week I’m planning on spending many hours outside, sitting on the stoop with my kitty curled up in a ball on the grass. While the cat and I take in the splendor, my son will join in the choir of chattering, giggly children at the playground who are excited that spring is finally here. It’s amazing how silent my neighborhood is in the winter, and how it only takes a couple of warm spring days to bring it back to life again.
To nurture my excitement about spring, I made some Carrot Cake Pancakes. Even though it’s still early in the season, carrots are locally available. Perhaps since Santa likes cookies and milk, the Easter bunny will like Carrot Cake Pancakes. After all, I need to tempt him to be good to my household this year as a part of my master plan to get gobs of chocolate eggs and jellybeans… Well, maybe not the jellybeans, but tons of chocolate!
These pancakes taste like a light and fluffy carrot cake with hints of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. If you like nuts in your carrot cake, then warm some real maple syrup on your stovetop and stir in some finely-chopped walnuts to make a maple-walnut syrup for drowning your pancakes in. These are so good you won’t want to share. Not even with the Easter bunny!
- 1 C flour
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- a generous pinch of nutmeg
- a generous pinch of ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ C buttermilk
- ½ C milk
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 Tbsp melted butter
- ½ C finely grated carrots (3-4 medium carrots)
- ½ C maple syrup
- ¼ C finely chopped walnuts (optional)
- Grate 3-4 medium carrots to equal ½ C. Before measuring the shredded carrots in a cup, gently press them between your hands to release some, but not all the juices. Set aside.
- Evenly mix together all the dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl; the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
- Add the buttermilk, milk, 1 beaten egg, and vanilla to the bowl and mix to combine, taking care not to over mix.
- Fold in the melted butter and the grated carrots.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat with a little vegetable oil and a little butter. My favorite pan to use for pancakes is cast iron, which tends to require less oil.
- For small pancakes pour ⅛ C batter onto the pan for each pancake, for medium pancakes measure ¼ C. Allow each pancake to become bubbly on top and golden brown on the bottom before flipping. You should only have to flip once. Once cooked, make a stack of pancakes on each person's plate.
- In a small sauce pan, heat ½ C of maple syrup over low heat. Once warm, remove from the heat and mix in ¼ C of finely-chopped walnuts. The walnuts are optional.
- To serve, pour Maple Walnut Syrup over the pancakes and enjoy immediately.
Kristen @A Mind Full MOm says
Rachel, I love carrot cake and pancakes–these look like the perfect combo!
Rachel says
Thanks Kristen. I thought of this recipe because I was craving carrot cake for breakfast.
Meeta says
Yes I think I would hide a stack of these from the bunny just for me. They look delicious!
Rachel says
Haha! Just give the bunny a regular old carrot!
adina says
I’ve never made pancakes with carrots, they look soooo good! And I am so happy about spring coming as well, it will still take a while until the trees start to get leaves again, but at least we have the snow drops and the crocus for the moment.
Rachel says
I love snow drops and crocuses. Our trees are flowering now and I suspect leaves will appear soon, but it’s been unseasonably chilly the last couple of weeks. I’m ready to shake of the winter completely!
Eric Phillips says
Just made it for breakfest. its a very nice variation on the regular pancake, and tasted a lot like carrot cake. I found that it went really good with caramel sauce.
Rachel says
Caramel sauce…. now that’s an idea!
Mrs. Culliver says
Made it today for my family and I. My kids 5 and 2 absolutely loved it! Its a very beautiful dish also. You taste all the flavors from the ginger to the hint of nutmeg. Perfect! Just perfect!
Rachel says
Thanks for letting me know how much your family enjoyed this recipe. You reminded me that I haven’t made it in a while. It’s going on the menu for my kids this week. It’s such a good way to sneak some extra vegetables into their diet! 😉