Banana and Strawberry Pancakes

By Savini Gauri

You will simply LOVE these Banana and Strawberry Pancakes: they’re light, soft and super fluffy, loaded with strawberries and bananas. And the best part? They are very quick and easy to make. You can serve them with anything, from honey to maple syrup, to yogurt or fresh fruit – and is guaranteed to make your breakfast (also read as lunch, dinner or brunch) extremely special.

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Generally, I am a savoury breakfast kinda person. So, there are very few sweet options that I actually like. And, obviously Strawberry and Banana Pancakes are on that limited list.

That’s right – I am a true chocoholic at heart and while I love Chocolate Chunk and Banana Pancakes every now and then… nothing beats a picture-perfect stack of Banana and Strawberry Pancakes with a dollop of butter and a generous drizzle of honey/maple syrup.

So, without any delay: here are all the tips and tricks you need to know to make THE BEST Banana and Strawberry pancakes ever.

How do you make Banana and Strawberry Pancakes from scratch?

Making nice and fluffy Banana and Strawberry Pancakes from scratch is incredibly easy – All you have to do is combine the wet ingredients (eggs, milk, banana, butter, vinegar) with the dry ingredient (pastry flour or maida, sugar, baking powder and salt) until smooth – and then add the strawberries (or any other berry you like) while cooking them. As always, I have made these Banana and Strawberry Pancakes using simple ingredients available at home and not fancy stuff nobody has ever heard of.

While making these pancakes, ensure that there are no lumps or patches of dry flour. It is best to add the wet ingredients all at once and mix well. While mixing, be a little gentle in the beginning to ensure that all the dry flour mix does not come out and create a mess (nobody likes to clean up after eating these amazing pancakes).

The final batter should be pourable yet thick enough to hold its final shape– this way, the pancakes don’t spread out too much in the pan, but rather stay tall and fluffy.

What makes these pancakes fluffy and light?

There are two things that contribute to light and fluffy pancakes.

Firstly, these pancakes have a relatively large amount of baking powder in them. This gives the pancakes their fluffiness and open texture when you cut into them. The amount of baking powder used in this recipe is optimised for extra fluffiness without any weird and metallic baking powder after-taste.

Secondly, a fairly thick batter. This thick batter ensures that the pancake doesn’t spread out too much – instead, it holds its shape on the pan, giving beautifully tall and soft pancakes.

How do you know if it’s time to flip any pancake?

Here’s how you know if it’s time to flip a pancake:

• when there are bubbles forming on top of the pancake (throughout the pancake, including the centre)

• the pancake edges look set (if you gently touch them with a spatula, it should come away clean)

• the pancake is light golden brown underneath (to check the colour, gently lift an edge of the pancake with a spatula to have a little peek underneath)

If all the boxes are ticked, it's flipping time!

How long should Banana and Strawberry pancakes cook on each side?

Usually, a pancake will need about one and a half minutes on each side to be cooked through on medium heat. That said, all cooktops and pans are different, so always take these numbers as rough estimations and judge based on what is in front of you. You can simply refer to the points mentioned above.

PRO TIP: Always apply some butter to your pan (even if it is non-stick) before pouring pancake batter on it.

How do you cut the strawberries for pancakes?

You should cut (or mash) strawberries that will go into pancake batter – you want them to be as thick or less than the height of the pancakes. This way they properly set in the pancake batter when you put them. Or, if you want a burst of tangy juiciness when you bite into them, roughly chop up some strawberries and add them to the batter itself.

Though I would recommend adding slices on top, to avoid adding excess moisture to the pancake batter since excess moisture may compromise the fluffiness and height of the pancakes.

Can you use other fresh or frozen berries for pancakes?

You can definitely use any fresh or frozen berries for pancakes and DON'T thaw them beforehand. Since thawed berries can cause the pancake to spread excessively and taste stodgy.

However, frozen berries start to thaw in the pancake batter (when it’s standing around while you cook up the pancakes in multiple batches), any ice on their surface will start to melt, diluting the pancake batter and making it runnier. If that happens, don’t worry, just add 1 – 2 tablespoons of extra flour to get back to the original batter consistency.

Because above all: there should never be anything complicated or stressful about making pancakes. Nobody needs breakfast stress first thing in the morning.

PRO TIP: Pour your pancake batter using a measuring cup to ensure even sized pancakes.

There you go. A super easy and quick recipe for fluffy Banana and Strawberry Pancakes. Enjoy!

When you make this awesome recipe, do tag me on Instagram using #savinithebakeshop

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Banana and Strawberry Pancakes

You will simply LOVE these Banana and Strawberry Pancakes: they’re light, soft and super fluffy, loaded with strawberries and bananas. And the best part? They are very quick and easy to make. You can serve them with anything, from honey to maple syrup, to yogurt or fresh fruit – and is guaranteed to make your breakfast (also read as lunch, dinner or brunch) extremely special. Cuisine Breakfast, Dessert

Prep Time 5 minutes Bake/Cook Time 15-20 minutes Total Time 20-25 minutes

Servings 6-8 Pancakes Author Savini Gauri | Savini The Bakeshop

Ingredients

2 tbsp (15 grams) caster or powdered sugar

4 tbsp (55 grams) butter (room temperature), plus extra for buttering the frying pan

1/8 cup milk or dairy-free milk (such as almond, oat, soy milk)

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 large or 2 small Bananas (mashed)

1 cup + 3 tbsp (160 grams) maida or pastry flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp vinegar

generous amount of salt (2-3 pinches)

2 - Eggs (room temperature)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries (or any other berries you like)

Instructions

1. Slice the strawberries and keep them aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, maida, baking powder and salt.

3. In a separate bowl mash the bananas. Then, add it to the dry mix along with the milk, vinegar, eggs and butter. Combine into a thick and smooth batter (using a whisk)

4. Heat a pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water sprinkled on it sizzles and bounces. Now, lightly butter the pan and drop about 2/3 cup of the pancake batter onto it. If required use a rubber spatula or spoon to nudge the batter into a neater circular shape.

5. Add 8-10 slices of strawberries.

6. Cook the pancake for about 1.5 minutes on medium heat, until the edges are set (not sticking to the spatula) and bubbles appear on the surface.

7. Flip the pancake and cook for another 1.5 minutes on the other side.

8. Once done, transfer the pancakes onto a plate lined with a paper towel – this helps absorb any condensation that forms under the hot pancakes. TIP: If you have a big skillet, you can make multiple pancakes at the same time.

9. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Be sure to wipe the pan with a paper towel and butter the pan again before you start cooking the next batch of pancakes.

10. The pancakes taste best when served warm immediately after cooking with honey, greek yogurt, fresh fruit or other toppings, but they stay moist and fluffy for a few hours afterwards.

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