I love pancakes because theyre so easy to make. Get a pan hot while you make the batter, barely measuring, maybe just using a mug as the unit: equal parts flour and liquid, an egg, a little spoonful of baking powder, a pinch of salt, maybe one of sugar too. Melt a little butter in the pan, pour it off into the batter, and you’re ready to fry. That’s really all there is to it. Of course, pancakes aren’t without their challenges. We’ve all had bleh pancakes, metallic or dense or flavorless—or undercooked or burnt or practically scrambled when you went to flip them. Inadequate pancakes, begone!
So I devised a quick troubleshooting guide for better, fluffier pancakes. It’ll be here for your consultation on every Saturday morning henceforth.
You can do a few things to help your banana pancakes stay together. First, make sure that your batter is thick enough. If it’s too thin, your pancakes will likely fall apart, and you can add more flour to help thicken it up. Second, make sure that your pan is hot enough before you start cooking the pancakes.
I can’t stop burning pancakes!
Sounds like you have a heat problem. You want your pan to be hot but not too hot—aim for medium heat. You may need to adjust up or down over the course of frying up the batch.
One thing that could help is using a cast iron griddle or skillet—cast iron holds heat well and evenly, which means that your pan will get hot, stay hot, and give your pancakes a good crisp crust (and will reduce the chances of your pancakes cooking unevenly). And if you have an electric griddle or frying pan, use it! An electric frying pan is my favorite tool for making pancakes, since it holds heat really evenly, right where you set it. (I find 350°F just right for pancakes.)
And these pancakes are flat. I mean, really flat.
How much liquid did you add? A flat pancake could be the result of an overly-wet batter. Add a little extra flour and see if that makes a difference. The batter should be thick enough that it drips rather than runs off the spoon—and remember, it should have some lumps still in it.
If a little flour doesn’t fix the issue, there could be an issue with your baking powder. Baking powder goes “bad” eventually, growing stale if it’s been in your pantry for a long time (ahem, years). Test its freshness by splashing a little warm water on a spoonful of baking powder; it should bubble or fizz gently. If it doesn’t, add baking powder to your grocery list and have eggs for breakfast instead.
Why Are My Paleo Pancakes Falling Apart? | Ultimate Paleo Guide
FAQ
How do you keep banana pancakes from falling apart?
Why are my banana pancakes so mushy?
What keeps pancakes from falling apart?
Why are my pancakes turning to mush?
Why do banana pancakes fall apart?
Banana pancakes tend to fall apart when there are large chunks of banana in the batter. Use a blender or a food processor to achieve a smooth batter. Can I keep this banana pancake batter overnight? It is recommended to make this pancake batter right before making the pancakes.
What happens to a banana when you put it in the refrigerator?
When putting a banana in the fridge, the skin will become a dark brown color. This happens because the cold of the refrigerator inhibits the hormone that helps bananas to ripen, called ethylene, so the yellow skin turns brown.
Why are my pancakes falling apart when I flip them?
Wait for those bubbles to appear on the surface of the pancakes, since they show that not only have the pancakes cooked on the bottom layer, but that the uncooked side is beginning to firm up too, which means that it won’t fall apart when you flip. This could be a heat problem, too.
Why is my pancake flat?
A flat pancake could be the result of an overly-wet batter. Add a little extra flour and see if that makes a difference. The batter should be thick enough that it drips rather than runs off the spoon—and remember, it should have some lumps still in it. If a little flour doesn’t fix the issue, there could be an issue with your baking powder.