Comments on: The Vegan Pancake Curse

By: hollie

hollie — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:35:07 +0000

Ahhhhhhhhh! Thank you! I will definitely go look for some!

By: Joe

Joe — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 09:21:11 +0000

I’ve tasted it before in recipes that have a lot of baking powder, like some cornbreads. Maybe I just have weird taste buds?

I bet that is because of the aluminum (dangerous) compounds in your baking soda. I just learned this and threw mine out and bought Rumsford that does not have aluminum in it.
- Joe

By: Ivana

Ivana — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:24:10 +0000

Also, it sounds strange, but baking powder does go bad, and when it does, it gets that metallic taste…happened to some buttermilk biscuits of mine a while back. ick.

So check the expiration date.

BTW, I’m a bit jealous of your skillet.

By: Katelyn

Katelyn — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:15:03 +0000

What kind of baking powder do you use? Some of them have Sodium Aluminum Sulfate, that results in a metallic taste for some people. It’s not bad for you, that I know of, but if you look at the labels, you can choose a baking powder without it. Things may not be as fluffy, though. Try Rumford.

By: cloister

cloister — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:36:12 +0000

Vegan Pancakes:

Our kids are respectively allergic to 1) milk, 2) eggs. This dooms nearly all pancake recepies. Yet both kids love pancakes, so I end up making them a lot. My wife occasionally tries to make weird vegan pancakes that replace eggs with applesauce or whatever, but they never come out well. Raw in the middle, burned on the outside. I use this recipe, which I don’t even have to look up anymore because I’ve made it so often:

2 cups AP flour
1 scant cup water
1 scant cup oat milk (we use the Pacific Natural Foods organic kind. Note: for my money, oat milk is the best ever substitute for milk in baking. I’ve never found a recipe where it didn’t work well. You can even reduce it to replace condensed milk in custard recipes)
4 tablespoons canola oil (or safflower or whatever light, hi-temp oil you use)
4 teaspoons baking powder (we use the Rumford non-aluminum kind, which Bob’s Red Mill sells in bulk-er quantities)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Some sugar (I rarely bother to measure the sugar. Call it 2 to 4 tablespoons, however you like it.)
splash vanilla

Mix and cook in a lightly oiled skillet. We use a cast iron one these days, and so long as you re-apply oil between sets you’re good to go. On our stove, I have to start with the burner on about ‘5′ (out of ten) and I let the pan warm up while I’m finishing the last of the measuring and mixing. As I cook each set of three or four pancakes, I lower the heat because the pan keeps getting hotter for a while. By the time I’m done, the burner is down to ‘3′ or thereabouts and things seem to have leveled out.

Anyway, these pancakes come out great, they’re easy to make, and they freeze well. I usually do a batch, feed the kids, and freeze the rest for two more breakfasts’ worth of kid meals.

By: megan

megan — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:18:48 +0000

i have some issues with things like pancakes burning in cast iron. I have the best luck with pancakes on something non-stick, or close to non-stick. I think it has to do with the fact that if you use lubricant the lubricant burns at those temps, so you’re best off using a pan that doesn’t require lubricant. Or something.

By: Natasha

Natasha — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:43:08 +0000

For vegan pancakes, we just use the Joy of Cooking recipe, but with soymilk and Earth Balance margarine for the milk and butter. Eggs we replace with just an extra teaspoon of baking powder…I’m not sure if you would taste that or not….

By: hollie

hollie — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 02:40:10 +0000

Yup, I was actually wondering if I could just sneak some apples into the Easy Weekend Pancakes. It doesn’t seem like it would be a problem, does it? It will be a bit moister, but I can add a smidge more flour if I need to.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:50:39 +0000

Have you considered taking the Easy Weekend Pancakes recipe and modifying with the fruit and other flavors you want to add? You could probably check on-line for some varying pancake recipes that use oats, bananas, apples, and other fruits and flavors, see how those are made, ingredient wise, then modify the Easy Weekend Pancakes to match. It might be worth a try since those pancakes seem to be free from the curse.

By: hollie

hollie — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 01:19:02 +0000

I have sourdough starter, I should try using that! I’ve heard that before about griddles vs. skillets, too. What stops me from getting one is the large number of appliances I already have, can’t live without, and don’t have room for.

By: georgmi

georgmi — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 21:42:42 +0000

(Replicated for ease of use from LJ):

We find an electric griddle practically essential to proper pancakes–it’s just too damn hard to keep a skillet or stovetop griddle at a consistent, correct temperature.

M. makes a sourdough pancake that needs less baking soda, but also requires starting the sponge the night before. We find that straight sourdough pancakes are a bit tough, but if you add blueberries, they are tasty and tender.