Fruity pancake stack

I love thick, fluffy pancakes (also known as drop scones or scotch pancakes), so this recipe uses natural set yogurt to give a dreamily light texture and taste that goes perfectly with juicy layers of tasty fruit.

Don't you love Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday if you prefer?

What originally became tradition as a tasty, practical way to use up butter, eggs and fat before lent has since cemented its place in many people's hearts as the only day of the year where pancakes for breakfast, lunch and dinner is perfectly acceptable.

Crepes used to be the pancake of choice in England, but thanks to modern trends, many have adopted the fluffy, American-style pancakes as their house favourites.

This pretty, satisfying and delicious recipe makes four stacks of pancakes, layered with plenty of fruit.

Instructions

In a bowl, whisk the egg, and 150g yogurt together until well combined.

Whisk in the milk.

Add the flour and baking powder and whisk until smooth.

Whisk in the maple syrup.

Put 1 tsp of butter in a non-stick frying pan and place over a high heat.

Reduce to medium and add 2 tbsp of batter per pancake.

Fry until pale golden underneath, then flip with a slotted spatula and fry until cooked on both sides.

Repeat until all the pancakes are cooked.

Place a pancake on each plate, top with sliced kiwi and a little more yogurt.

Add another pancake and top with sliced strawberries and more yogurt.

Top with a final pancake.

Surround the stack with the remaining sliced fruit.

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect fruity pancake stack.

Are fruity pancake stacks easy to make?

These fruity pancakes are nice and easy to make, you just need a little patience while stacking to get the perfect look.

The sugars in the pancake batter (that come from the maple syrup) helps to give the tops and bottoms of the pancakes a wonderful and even golden colour.

If you have one available, I find a heavy-bottomed frying pan that maintains a nice, even heat across its surface will help too.

Will I need any special equipment for fruity pancake stacks?

No special equipment is needed for this recipe that you wouldn't find outside of the average kitchen, but it's best to check the full list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below.

How can I tell if my fruit such as berries or bananas are ripe or have gone off?

For both fruit or berries, the first thing is to check they don't look or feel spoiled. If there are obvious signs of mould, rot or a large number of fruit flies then throw them away.

Next, make sure there is no peculiar smell which is also a signal they are past their best and no longer safe to eat. Finally, test that the taste of the fruit doesn't taste odd.

For berries, if there is only mould on a single berry it's up to you if you choose to throw away the whole lot or just discard that single berry and thoroughly wash the rest. Mould in one berry can indicate it has spread to the inside of other berries, even if they appear fine, so there is an increased risk - even after washing the remaining berries.

Berries

• Unripe berries will be very firm. The nice thing about berries is you can do a taste test with a single berry (remember to wash it first) - if the berry is very firm or sour, it's not ripe yet.
• Ripe berries will be plump with just a hint of give when pressed. They should also smell fruity and sweet.
• Overripe berries will generally have obvious signs of decay in terms of looks, smell or texture, but can also become hard and shrivelled.

Kiwis

• Unripe kiwis will have green skin, so if the kiwi is green, or you can see green under a layer of brown fuzz it's best to hold off. Unripe kiwis will generally also feel rather firm and smell of very little.
• Ripe kiwis have a brown skin, have a little bit of yield when pressed and smell faintly sweet and fruity.
• Overripe kiwis will either have obvious signs of decay and should be thrown away, or will have a wrinkled surface due to the kiwi beginning to dry out.

Bananas

• Unripe bananas will be a little green and firmer than yellow, ripe bananas. Unripe bananas will also be much harder to mash, so ripe is best for this recipe.
• Ripe bananas will be a nice, bright yellow with no black spots and are perfect for this recipe.
• Very ripe bananas will have brown or black spots on quite a bit of the skin, but the flesh should still be edible. They will be much softer and a little wetter. Ripe, rather than very ripe, bananas are better for a fruity pancake stack, whereas very ripe bananas are perfect for something like a banana loaf.
• Overripe bananas will usually be very black and have obvious signs of decay. They should be thrown away.

Do I need to peel my kiwis?

The skin of kiwifruit is perfectly safe to eat as long as it's been well washed and is in good condition, so it's really a personal preference. You may also wish to peel your kiwi if the grower uses pesticides, as the vast majority of any pesticides that remain - which should be zero, but often isn't - will be on the outside of the fruit.

For this particular recipe, I would recommend peeling them as the tougher, fibrous texture of the skin doesn't pair well with the softness of the pancakes.

To peel, you can use a sharp vegetable peeler or pairing knife to cut away the skin, or you can also cut your kiwi in half and scoop the flesh away from the skin with a spoon.

Are fruity pancake stack suitable for vegetarians? Are fruity pancake stack suitable for vegans?

These fruity pancake stacks should be suitable for vegetarians with no alterations. They aren’t vegan, however, as they contain milk, yogurt, eggs in the batter and are fried in butter.

The milk and yoghurt can both be substituted for a plant-based alternative. I think soy milk/yogurt works best in sweet dishes. You will likely find soy yogurt is not quite as thick as dairy yogurt, so you might want to lower the amount of plant milk used in favour of a little more yoghurt.

The butter used for frying can be replaced with a plant butter, preferably one with a high fat/low moisture content, or you can use a neutral flavoured oil instead.

For the eggs, you’ll need to use a replacement (each = 1 egg, so multiply as needed for any given recipe). My personal preference for pancakes is crushed chia seeds, but all of these suggestions can work:

• 1 tablespoon of crushed chia seeds or flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (the water you get in a tin of chickpeas).
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce (bear in mind this will add sweetness).

It's always best to double-check all of your ingredient labels to make sure to check that they are suitable for your diet. Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with.

Are fruity pancake stacks gluten-free?

These fruity pancakes are not gluten-free due to the self-rasing and baking powder, both of which will contain gluten.

However, you can swap both of these ingredients out for a gluten-free alternative. Depending on the flour used, you might not get quite the same level of rise, or exactly the same texture, but they will still be delicious.

Double check all of your ingredient labels to make sure to check that they are gluten-free. Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with.

Is this recipe keto-friendly?

Due to the high amount of carbohydrates coming from the flour, maple syrup and some of the fruit, each pancake stack comes in at 61g of carbs, or roughly 20g per pancake. This makes it difficult to fit into a keto diet.

Here's a list of the most carby ingredients in these pancakes:

• Self-rasing flour: ~28g
• Bananas: 13.5g
• Kiwi: ~7g
• Maple syrup: ~3g

With this in mind, if you were to substitute the self-rasing flour for something keto-friendly such as coconut or almond flour along with a binder such as xanthan gum or psyllium husks, you would be edging towards keto-friendly.

If you also forgo the carb-heavy bananas and kiwi and stick to berries, as well as use a zero carb artificial sweetener instead of maple syrup, then each pancake stack would come in at around 9.5g of carbs, or 3.1g per pancake (including a little fruit and yogurt on top).

Is this fruity pancake stack healthy?

While the fruit and yogurt help to add a good amount of fibre, vitamins and protein to these pancakes, they come in at roughly 327kcal per serving, so are best left an occasional treat.

Is this fruity pancake stack safe to eat while pregnant?

While safe for pregnant people to eat, there are a couple of things to consider.

First, the dairy ingredients need to be made with pasteurised milk. This should be pretty easy as most milk and yogurt in the UK is pasteurised by default, but do check the label.

Advice regarding eggs varies from country to country, so please check information local to you, in the UK the NHS has a great resource on foods to avoid whilst pregnant.

Lastly, make sure all the ingredients are in good condition and this meal is prepared safely and hygienically.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.

What goes well with this recipe?

I think nothing more than a nice cup of tea or coffee to cut through the sweetness or a glass of milk goes very well with these pancakes.

I haven’t got baking powder can I use bicarbonate of soda?

The short answer is no, you can't use one instead of the other. The long answer is if you're desperate you can use one of the other, with a few caveats.

This is because while both are leavening agents that produce CO2 they work quite differently.

Bicarbonate of soda

Bicarbonate of soda (bicarb) will release carbon dioxide when exposed to an acid or head. In the case of cooking or baking the acid usually comes from something like yoghurt or vinegar. However, an acid isn’t strictly necessary as heat alone will also cause bicarb to release carbon dioxide - but only around half as much as if exposed to an acid. The downside to using heat alone is it will produce sodium carbonate, which is a strongly alkaline substance that gives pancakes and baked goods that soapy or metallic taste and slightly yellow colour.

Baking powder

Baking powder, on the other hand, is a mixture of bicarbonate of soda (usually around 30%) with various acidic ingredients that are activated by the addition of a liquid and sometimes further activated with heat. It depends on if it's a single and double-acting baking powder. Baking powder will always contain a fast-acting part that reacts when a liquid is added to the mixture, and double-acting baking powder will contain an acid that is activated by heat (causing the remaining bicarb to react with it).

Using one or the other

As you can see, there's quite a bit of difference between how the two leavening agents work, so it's best to use the correct one.

However, if you're in a real bind, you can use around 30% as much bicarb as you would baking powder and add around a tbsp of lemon juice to the milk. This is because even whole milk will likely not be acidic enough to cause a reaction that fully activates all the bicarb.

Try to mix the batter lightly so you don't knock all the air out of it and expect a slightly different end result.

Can I add extra fruit to this fruity pancake stack?

By all means! Pile fruit as high as you like with this recipe, and use whatever fresh or canned fruit you have to hand.

How should I store my fruity pancake stack?

These fruity pancakes are best eaten fresh from the pan, however, they should store well - especially if you have not yet added the yogurt and fruit topping, as this will make them a little wetter and harder to reheat.

Place any leftover pancakes in an airtight container and place them in the fridge where they will last for up to 2 days. If you have had to remove any yogurt or fruit from the pancakes this can be stored separately.

How long does a fruity pancake stack keep?

If cooled down, put in an airtight container and placed in the fridge within 2 hours of being cooked then they will last for up to 2 days.

If you were to store them in the freezer they will last up to 2 months.

Can I leave my fruity pancake stack out on the counter?

These pancakes need to be stored in the fridge if not being eaten immediately, as leaving them at room temperatures will let dangerous levels of bacteria form within hours of being made.

Can I make these fruity pancakes ahead?

You can cook the pancakes and store them in the fridge or freezer, then reheat and decorate at a later date without a problem. You may notice the texture of the pancakes has changed a little once reheated, but it should barely be noticeable. Read on for how best to reheat your pancakes.

I wouldn't advise making the pancake batter in ahead of time and storing it in the fridge as you might do with crepes, as the batter will deflate if prepared too far in advance. These types of pancakes are also being easier to cook when the batter is closer to room temperature than fridge temperature.

The fruit could be prepared a few hours in advance, but will degrade a lot more quickly and start to change texture and lose moisture after being cut, so is best to prepare them just before serving if possible.

Can I keep these fruity pancake stacks in the refrigerator?

You can put any uneaten pancakes in the fridge, just place them in a airtight container, then in the fridge. They will last for up to 2 days.

If you have had to remove any yogurt or fruit from the pancakes this can be stored separately.

Can I freeze fruity pancake stacks?

You can freeze this fruity pancake stack, as long as you remove any yogurt or fruit from the pancakes first. Although the texture isn't quite as good as fresh from the pan, these pancakes do freeze well.

To store, place any leftover pancakes in an airtight container or ziplock bag and place them in the freezer within an hour of making (or sooner if possible so that they don't go hard).

It's a good idea to put a bit of greaseproof paper between the layers so that they don't stick together. That way, you can retrieve just what you need.

It's also best to plan a day ahead, as I would suggest leaving the frozen pancakes in the fridge overnight to thaw.

You can also freeze any chopped up fruit separately, which could be turned into a compote using all the fruit - if you have any more frozen fruit to hand you can of course also throw that in. To further flavour your compote you could add vanilla, lemon or orange peel, cinnamon or other spices.

What is the best way to reheat pancakes?

If you want to reheat a big stack of pancakes from chilled your best bet is to wrap them in tin foil, place them on a baking tray and put them in a 200C (180C fan) oven. Cook for five minutes then check on them every minute or so until warmed throughout. Be careful when peeling back the tin foil as steam can escape, which will be very hot. Reheating the pancakes using this method will keep them lovely and soft.

Reheating pancakes by pan-frying them also works well. Just bring a frying pan up to a medium temperature, melt a little butter in it and give the pancakes a few minutes to warm through, flipping regularly.

Lastly, you could also microwave the pancakes. Place them on a microwave-safe plate and loosely cover before giving them 15-second bursts until nice and hot. You may find microwaving your pancakes makes them end up a little chewier, especially if cooked until piping hot.

Can I make these fruity pancake stacks in a different quantity?

If you want to make more or less of this recipe then go right ahead. One thing to bear in mind you'll probably want to stick to a recipe that doesn't call for half an egg, so go up or down by 2 servings each time.

Look for the recipe card below. You'll see the servings near the top left. To change this to the number you want to make just click on it and a little slider will pop up. You can move the slider up or down to get the amount you want to make.

All the ingredient quantities will update automatically for you so that everything is in the right ratios.

Can I make these fruit pancake stacks in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

These pancakes are very quick to whip up by hand, but you can also use a stand mixer to mix the batter if you prefer. Mix on slow so that you incorporate the ingredients gently and don't splash milk around the kitchen. 

How can I make sure these pancakes are perfectly cooked?

Perfectly cooked pancakes will be an even golden brown colour on both sides and will spring back up if lightly pressed with a finger.

The best time to flip a pancake is when the top is starting to bubble and a few of the bubbles have started to pop. When this happens, gently lift the edge of the pancake up with a spatula and check to see if underneath is a golden brown colour and the top has just started to begin to set. If so, it's ready to flip.

If the bottom of your pancakes is cooked through but the tops are too wet to flip easily then turn the frying pan temperature down and make sure you're not overdoing it on the butter, which will give the top more time to set without making the bottom overcooked. 

Why did my pancakes turn out burned or overcooked?

These pancakes are rather difficult to overcook as long as you're paying careful attention to when they need flipping, but you may find that the bottoms are past the point of golden brown before the tops are set, so flipping them is difficult. If this is the case it's likely that your frying pan is too hot, so simply lower the heat and give your pan time to cool down.

Adding too much butter to the frying pan can also make it brown more quickly, especially in a pan that's too hot, as the milk solids in the butter (which are also absorbed into the pancake batter) burn at a relatively low temperature.

Why did my pancakes turn out wet or undercooked?

The most likely reason your pancakes are undercooked is that they simply haven't been fried for long enough. If your pancakes seem golden brown on the top and bottom, but a little wet in the middle, your pan temperature is likely too high. Simply Turn down the temperature which will allow for more time for the heat to reach the inside of the pancake before the tops and bottoms cooks.

It may also be the case your pancakes are too thick, so be mindful of how much batter you're using.

Lastly, adding too much butter to the frying pan will cause the pancakes to brown faster as the milk solids heat up and begin to burn quickly, and these also get absorbed into the batter.

Why didn’t my pancakes rise?

The most common reason that pancakes don't rise is that the batter has been over mixed, which leads to all the CO2 produced by the raising agents in the baking powder and self-raising flour being knocked out of it. Overmixing also has a secondary effect of developing the gluten, which leads to a tougher batter that has more difficulty rising. It's best to only mix the batter for a short time, and be aware that it doesn't need to be silky smooth - a few small lumps left in the batter will be fine and cook out quickly.

It may also be the baking powder or the self-raising flour you used is old and no longer as effective as when you bought it. It may have also been stored incorrectly so double-check both are still in date have been stored somewhere cool and dry.

Lastly, it's a good idea to work quickly once the batter is mixed as it will begin to lose the CO2 trapped in it over time. For this reason, it's also best to be gentle with the batter when getting it out of the bowl and into the pan. You don't want to deflate it and you certainly don't want to keep mixing your batter. Be gentle with it and use a ladle or large serving spoon to scoop the batter out of the bowl and into the frying pan.

How can I add/change the flavours in this dish?

The recipe is great for adding different fruity flavours! While the fruits in this recipe taste great together and are nice and colourful, you can of course use any fruit combo of your choosing.

You could also try adding a little lemon juice or fruity flavour extract to the batter. How about orange or even rose pancakes?

You can also substitute the maple syrup for honey, fruit syrup or pomegranate molasses.

You can also experiment with different toppings other than fresh fruit. How about a fruit compote? I find compotes are a great way of using up frozen fruit that may not be in season, and are a delicious topping for pancakes, porridge, granola, yogurt and other breakfasts. Canned fruits like peaches and apricots also make a divine topping.

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