Fat Tuesday or Pancake Day culminates Carnival Season and ushers in Lent. Traditionally, pancakes are eaten on the day before Ash Wednesday to use up rich, indulgent foods like eggs and milk before the 40-day fasting season of Lent begins. It’s your last chance to be glutinous and I have a recipe that fits the bill! Red Velvet Pancakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Maple Syrup. It doesn’t get anymore indulgent than that!
The colorful hues of red pancakes along with rich chocolatey auburn syrup compliment the festive colors of the day and Mardi Gras. I think this is quite a celebratory breakfast and also perfect for National Pancake Day coming up on March 7th.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¾ cups flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp sugar
1 ½tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 ¼ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp red food coloring
½ stick (2oz) Butter, melted
Method
- In a small heavy saucepan heat maple syrup over moderate heat until hot.
- Whisk in cocoa powder, butter, and simmer, whisking, 1 minute.
- Serve syrup warm. The syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week
- Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition.
- Add vanilla, beating until blended.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well together to break down lumps.
- Melt your butter and set aside so it is not hot when you add it into the mix
- In a separate bowl mix the buttermilk, eggs, vanilla and food coloring.
- Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until mostly combined.
- Add the melted butter to the batter; folding gently.
- Don’t over mix your batter. The batter will be very thick.
- Refrigerate batter for 15 minutes.
- Pre-heat a non-stick pan over medium-low heat.
- For each pancake, scoop ¼ cup of batter on to pan.
- Cook the pancakes on the first side until they puff up and are full of bubbles and the edges begin to look dry; about 4 minutes.
- Turn the pancakes over and cook on the second side for roughly 2 minutes.
- Serve the finished pancakes hot, drizzle over the maple chocolate sauce and add a big dollop of cream cheese butter.
Notes
Serve syrup warm. The syrup keeps, covered and chilled, 1 week.
