The Old-School Breakfast Trick That Gives Your Pancakes Their Fluffiest Texture Yet

A batch of pancakes are a breakfast staple for good reason; they're easy to make, filling, and delicious. However, after many consecutive flapjack mornings, you might want to switch up the recipe a bit. So, look to the past for inspiration, and whip up a batch of extra-fluffy flannel cakes.

Hailing from Appalachian America, the first mention of such a dish goes all the way back to 1792. It's said that the food came by way of Dutch settlers, but exact origins are unknown. The composition also shifted throughout the decades, but with a texture that consistently alluded to an airy creation of pancake resemblance. Today, there's still a dish that honors such a delightfully delicate composition.

Originally, flannel cakes employed yeast, as it was the widespread leavening agent at the time. Nowadays, cooks have transformed the flannel cake into something more akin to cloud-like soufflé cakes with one trick: separating the eggs during preparation. The extra step requires a bit more effort, but it rewards with an intriguing pancake texture. So, whip up a batch, and try a take on the breakfast classic with a delightfully airy consistency.

Even a recipe of basic buttermilk pancakes isn't set in stone — the breakfast classic is endlessly malleable. And such a quality especially applies to flannel cakes, which have frequently transformed in composition. So, don't fret regarding the added egg white twist; making the modification is straightforward. The cornerstone of preparation remains the same: Wet and dry ingredients get separated, and are only then mixed together. That's except for the egg whites, which are whipped into peaks like when baking a pavlova. Carefully melded in only right before cooking, this forms a wondrously airy take on the dish.

Just like with other pancakes, the further details are up to you. Craft into either small or large sizes, and top with the preferred toppings of your choosing. To complement the texture, consider pairings like whipped cream and strawberries, or perhaps melted butter and your preferred jam. It's a slightly more laborious extra step, but flannel cakes might just become your go-to unique pancake upgrade.