CARROT CAKE SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

Thick, fluffy, sweet and moist pancakes meet carrots, warm autumn spices, and sourdough. Topped with crunchy walnuts and drizzled with glossy golden-brown, sweet maple syrup... could you wish for more?

Well, yes, perhaps for a topping of maple-syrup-caramelised sweet and salty slices of bacon...

Sourdough adds a beautiful tang and flavor to pancakes. I usually make them when I have a large quantity of sourdough starter, but I'm not in the mood for baking SOURDOUGH BREAD. I hate to just discard it.

I would normally make simple SOURDOUGH PANCAKES, and then we drown them under anything sweet, like honey or maple syrup, but mostly an excessive, embarrassing, and unjustifiable amount of Nutella! ;-)

These CARROT CAKE SOURDOUGH PANCAKES are different. They don't need Nutella (did I really just say that?). They call for walnuts and maple syrup... well, yes, and caramelized bacon... Do I have your attention now?

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The carrots, cinnamon, and ginger add a flavour reminiscent of carrot cake, the walnuts a lovely crunch, and the caramelized bacon texture, sweetness, and tons of umami flavor.

The pancakes are easy and fast to make: the batter takes a couple of minutes to mix, and the pancakes are fried in no time.

These CARROT CAKE SOURDOUGH PANCAKES make a delightful, rich, and satisfying breakfast.

The batter can be prepared the night before, making them also a perfect brunch treat for overnight guests. I'm certain they will follow their noses into the kitchen with their coffees and keep you company while you quickly fry the pancakes.

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How to prepare:

CARROT CAKE SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

Thick, fluffy, sweet and moist pancakes meet carrots, warm autumn spices, and sourdough. Topped with crunchy walnuts and drizzled with glossy golden-brown, sweet maple syrup... and aa topping of maple-syrup-caramelised sweet and salty slices of bacon...

Jump to TEXT-ONLY RECIPE

INGREDIENTS: 

Makes approximately 20 pancakes of about 11 cm (¼ inch) diameter, using a ¼ cup as a scoop

This recipe assumes that you have a large amount of sourdough starter discard. If not, feed your starter before with sufficient flour and water to end up with 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) of starter.

• 360 ml (1 ½ cups) sourdough discard or active sourdough starter

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 240 ml (
1 cup) milk, slightly warmed


• 280 g (
1 ¾ cups) organic wheat flour

• 60 g (¼ cup) brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ginger

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

• 2 cups finely grated carrots, about 4 carrots (circa 300g unpeeled)

• 60 g (½ cup) chopped walnuts

• 50 g (¼ cup) melted butter

• Sunflower oil for frying

To serve:

• roughly chopped walnuts and maple syrup

• optional (omit for a vegetarian version): breakfast bacon, maple syrup

  
  

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Sourdough starter/discard: This recipe requires 360 ml (1½ cups) active sourdough discard or active starter If none at hand, feed your sourdough starter multiple times until you have 360 ml (1½ cups), plus the starter you want to retain for storage.

   
   

   

   
   

2. Gather all the ingredients.

   
   

3. Pre-heat the oven to 90°C/70°C fan/200°F to keep the finished pancakes warm while frying.

   
   

4. Prepare all the ingredients: Warm 240 ml (1 cup) of milk, melt 50 g of butter, chop 60 g of walnuts. Wash, peel and finely grate 4 carrots (approximately 300 g unpeeled weight).

   
   
   

   
   
   

5. Combine the dry ingredients: Sift together 280 g (1 ¾ cups) flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 60g (¼ cup) brown sugar, 1 teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, 2 teaspoons baking powder*, and 1 teaspoon baking soda*. (*Note: in case the mixture is prepared ahead, leave the baking powder and baking soda out at this point, and add them just before using the sourdough batter to make the pancakes).

   
   

6. Combine the wet ingredients: Break 3 eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a balloon whisk or electric mixer until fluffy. Add the warmed milk and 360 ml (1 ½ cups) revived sourdough starter and mix gently.
   

   

   
   
   

7. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well, but gently, to avoid activating the gluten in the flour. A few lumps in the batter are fine, they will dissolve during cooking.

   
   

8. Add the remaining ingredients: Add the grated carrots, 60 g (½ cup) chopped walnuts and 50 g (¼ cup) melted butter and mix well.

   
   

   

   
   

9. Fry: Heat a pan over medium-high heat until quite hot - a drop of water should sizzle upon contact. Lightly coat the pan with oil.* Pour ¼ cup of pancake batter into the pan. Cook until small air bubbles form and burst on the surface, the top starts to look slightly bumpy, and the edges look cooked, approximately 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook on the other side until it is nicely browned - another 1-2 minutes, depending on the heat of the pan. The pancakes require about 3-5 minutes total cooking time. *Tip: make a ball from kitchen paper, wrapping a second sheet around to cover it, then twist the paper on the top to form a handle. Dip the ball into a bowl with oil and use it to grease the pan. This works very well and leaves just a little amount of oil in the pan.

   
   
   

   

   Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and keep them warm in the pre-heated oven. Continue the process of oiling and frying until the remaining batter has been used up, keeping the pancakes warm in the meantime.Continue the process of oiling and frying until the remaining batter has been used up, keeping the pancakes warm in the meantime.
   

   

   
   

10. Serve: Serve hot, with chopped walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.

    
    

    Optional (non-vegetarian version): serve with caramelised bacon: Fry a couple of slices of breakfast bacon until browned and crispy. Once crispy, add a little maple syrup and leave to caramelize. Serve together with the pancakes.
    

    

    
    

STORAGE & REHEATING

STORAGE: Cooled Pancakes can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days. If not needed within a couple of days, it's better to freeze them immediately.

FREEZING: Allow the pancakes to cool completely, then freeze them, with layers of parchment paper between, to prevent them from sticking together. They should keep for 1 to 2 months, if not longer.

REHEATING: The pancakes can be re-heated in small batches in the microwave (don't overheat them, to avoid that they get rubbery), or a pan. I have even used a toaster, and it worked. For larger quantities, arrange the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place them in the oven and reheat them on medium-high heat until warm and fluffy.

---

TEXT-ONLY RECIPE

CARROT CAKE SOURDOUGH PANCAKES

Thick, fluffy, sweet and moist pancakes meet carrots, warm autumn spices, and sourdough. Topped with crunchy walnuts and drizzled with glossy golden-brown, sweet maple syrup... and aa topping of maple-syrup-caramelised sweet and salty slices of bacon...

Jump to PICTURE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS: 

Makes approximately 20 pancakes of about 11 cm (¼ inch) diameter, using a ¼ cup as a scoop

This recipe assumes that you have a large amount of sourdough starter discard. If not, feed your starter before with sufficient flour and water to end up with 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) of starter.

• 360 ml (1 ½ cups) sourdough discard or active sourdough starter

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 240 ml (
1 cup) milk, slightly warmed


• 280 g (
1 ¾ cups) organic wheat flour

• 60 g (¼ cup) brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ginger

• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

• 2 cups finely grated carrots, about 4 carrots (circa 300g unpeeled)

• 60 g (½ cup) chopped walnuts

• 50 g (¼ cup) melted butter

• Sunflower oil for frying

To serve:

• roughly chopped walnuts and maple syrup

• optional (omit for a vegetarian version): breakfast bacon, maple syrup

  
  

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Sourdough starter/discard: This recipe requires 360 ml (1½ cups) active sourdough discard or active starter If none at hand, feed your sourdough starter multiple times until you have 360 ml (1½ cups), plus the starter you want to retain for storage.

   
   

2. Gather all the ingredients.

   
   

3. Pre-heat the oven to 90°C/70°C fan/200°F to keep the finished pancakes warm while frying.

   
   

4. Prepare all the ingredients: Warm 240 ml (1 cup) of milk, melt 50 g of butter, chop 60 g of walnuts. Wash, peel and finely grate 4 carrots (approximately 300 g unpeeled weight).

   
   

5. Combine the dry ingredients: Sift together 280 g (1 ¾ cups) flour, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, 60g (¼ cup) brown sugar, 1 teaspoons cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ginger, 2 teaspoons baking powder*, and 1 teaspoon baking soda*. (*Note: in case the mixture is prepared ahead, leave the baking powder and baking soda out at this point, and add them just before using the sourdough batter to make the pancakes).

   
   

6. Combine the wet ingredients: Break 3 eggs into a large bowl and beat them with a balloon whisk or electric mixer until fluffy. Add the warmed milk and 360 ml (1 ½ cups) revived sourdough starter and mix gently.

   
   

7. 6) Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well, but gently, to avoid activating the gluten in the flour. A few lumps in the batter are fine, they will dissolve during cooking.

   
   

8. Add the remaining ingredients: Add the grated carrots, 60 g (½ cup) chopped walnuts and 50 g (¼ cup) melted butter and mix well.

   
   

9. Fry: Heat a pan over medium-high heat until quite hot - a drop of water should sizzle upon contact. Lightly coat the pan with oil.* *Tip: make a ball from kitchen paper, wrapping a second sheet around to cover it, then twist the paper on the top to form a handle. Dip the ball into a bowl with oil and use it to grease the pan. This works very well and leaves just a little amount of oil in the pan.Pour ¼ cup of pancake batter into the pan. Cook until small air bubbles form and burst on the surface, the top starts to look slightly bumpy, and the edges look cooked, approximately 2-3 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook on the other side until it is nicely browned - another 1-2 minutes, depending on the heat of the pan. The pancakes require about 3-5 minutes total cooking time.Transfer the cooked pancakes to a plate and keep them warm in the pre-heated oven. Continue the process of oiling and frying until the remaining batter has been used up, keeping the pancakes warm in the meantime.

   
   

10. Serve: Serve hot, with chopped walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.

    
    

    Optional (non-vegetarian version): serve with caramelised bacon: Fry a couple of slices of breakfast bacon until browned and crispy. Once crispy, add a little maple syrup and leave to caramelize. Serve together with the pancakes.

    
    

STORAGE & REHEATING

STORAGE: Cooled Pancakes can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for a couple of days. If not needed within a couple of days, it's better to freeze them immediately.

FREEZING: Allow the pancakes to cool completely, then freeze them, with layers of parchment paper between, to prevent them from sticking together. They should keep for 1 to 2 months, if not longer.

REHEATING: The pancakes can be re-heated in small batches in the microwave (don't overheat them, to avoid that they get rubbery), or a pan. I have even used a toaster, and it worked. For larger quantities, arrange the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place them in the oven and reheat them on medium-high heat until warm and fluffy.