Carrot Cake Pancakes

I originally posted this a little less than a year ago but just finally got around to adding a picture which always helps- I rarely make a recipe without seeing a picture. Not to sound like a bully but TRY IT! You will NOT be disappointed! (If you're wondering where I got the carrot from, it's part of the Thanksgiving Stuffing set!)

I LOVE this recipe because I can not only get my kids to eat it but they scarf it down! It has a whole pound of carrots to only a little over a cup of flour! In my opinion, it's a mother's dream come true- where else can you get your kids to eat so many vegetables in one sitting?! If you are still sceptical, just try it- it really tastes like carrot cake!

Carrot Cake Pancakes

5.6 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1-1/4 cups) I use a white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted- I sometimes leave this out if I'm being lazy and it still turns out great

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg- really? I don't know anyone who does this- nutmeg from the jar is fine

dash of ground cloves

dash of ground ginger

1/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1 tablespoon canola oil

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract- I've said this before- PLEASE don't use imitation

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups finely grated carrot (about 1 pound) If this step makes you not want to make this because of the time, just use a food processor- the carrots will be shredded and not ground but it still works

cooking spray

3 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons honey

Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrots.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Spoon 4 (1/4 cup) batter mounds onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Personally, I use a large electric skillet to get more pancakes on at once and use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop the mixture and then flatten in a bit.
Cook for 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Repeat with remaining batter. Combine butter and honey in a small bowl; serve with pancakes. When feeding the kids, I usually just serve it with syrup.
Yields: 12 pancakes


Recipe comes from Cooking Light Magazine (January/February 2010.) Originally from  Snooze Restaurant in Denver (303-297-0700, snoozeeatery.com)

Happy Cooking!