Homemade “Instant” Pancake Mix and Blueberry Pancakes
After the maple festivities last Saturday, Hubby really wanted pancakes on Sunday morning. He was sad to find out that we didn’t have any pancake mix in the house and asked me to grab some at the store. I scoffed at him and said I’d make them from scratch.
We rarely eat processed foods at home. Except for pancakes. We don’t eat them very often, but usually there is a container with the mix that you just add water to. I’m sure the ingredient list on that container is pretty scarey and contains tons of ingredients that no one knows how to pronouce. So I decided to take this opportunity to prevent those super-long-there’s-no-way-I-can-read-this-ingredient-so-I-probably-shouldn’t-be-eating-it ingredients from getting into our bodies.
Aside from my baking obsession, we eat pretty healthy in the Beantown Baker household. We both eat our 5 fruits/veggies a day thanks to Hubby packing lunches for us every morning. He includes something for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. A lot of produce and the rest is homemade. For dinner we always cook unless we’re eating out.
So I set out to find a pancake recipe to make from scratch. I did grab some beautiful blueberries while I was at the store that morning to throw into our pancakes (I used the rest to make our favorite banana-blueberry muffins). I was going to start with Google, but instead headed towards my shelf of cookbooks. I do have quite a few and I’m trying to use them more often. I opened my trusty Alton Brown cookbook and found a perfect solution. A recipe for a pancake mix! So I would be able to have pancakes that morning and have a mix to use in the future.
The mix is very simple to throw together. I’m storing mine in the freezer because I doubt we’ll use it up in three months. I found the pancake batter to be a bit thick, so I added more buttermilk to thin them out. This recipe yields some really tasty pancakes. The addition of those plump blueberries and real maple syrup definitely took these over the top!
One Year Ago: Cinnamon Biscuits
Yield: 3 batches of 12 pancakes
Ingredients:
For the Instant Pancake Mix
6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp sugar
For the Pancakes
2 eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
4 Tbsp melted butter
2 cups Instant Pancake Mix, recipe above
1 stick butter, for greasing the pan
2 cups fresh blueberries, optional
Directions:
Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees F.
Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter.
Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the pancake mix. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. Don't try to work all the lumps out.
Lightly butter the griddle. Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel so that no butter is visible.
For the Instant Pancake Mix
Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded container. Shake to mix.
Use the mix within 3 months.
Pancakes
Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit if desired. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set.
Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel.
Recipe from Alton Brown's Good Eats and The Early Years Cookbook
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
Great cupcake hero entry!!! yum!
You’re right – it’s a freaking cute cupcake! I especially love that frosting and how you got it to look like a scoop of ice cream. Nicely done!
This is my first CH and I can’t wait till the voting begins! : )
Wow, what a yummy looking cupcake! Great idea!
This is ADORABLE!! I love it!
Gorgeous cupcake, Jen! I love how the cherry stands out. How do you get that black background if you don’t mind me asking? I’m pretty new to this food photography thing 8)
Yummmm!!!!!
Xiaolu – It’s actually just my black table. I’ve also had luck using a plain black piece of construction paper (most of my backgrounds are the 12×12 scrap-booking papers) or a black towel to get the background all black.
Here is an example using paper, and one using a towel.
Thanks! That’s really helpful.
Yum! Great idea 🙂
Awesome idea!
Very creative and it looks great!
What a cute idea! I love it!! And I know my nieces would be in love!
Great idea…they look delicious!
holy deliciousness! I NEED one of those! 🙂
How creative, I love them! So cute and tasty with that cherry on top!
Very cute looking! I like your idea.
~ingrid
These cupcakes are pure genius… you’ve definitely got my vote!
Cute idea! What a great entry!
Wow – super cute! A lot of work, I’m sure, but such a big payoff! Great job!
So stinkin’ cute!
Very cute, indeed and loving the pineapple in the frosting. I can just imagine how delicious this would taste. What a great idea.
MMM, it looks fantastic! I’ll have to try this one 🙂 xox
These cupcakes are precious besides, I am sure, being delicious. What a great idea.