What to do with a spotted banana? This, this! The delicate flavor of cardamom brings out the floral notes of the fruit and the result is a lovely, moist treat of a pancake, almost a dessert rather than breakfast. If the banana is quite spotted, it can be smashed and folded into the batter, rather than sliced, although it won’t result in the pretty, caramelized pattern that sliced bananas will create.
1½ cups all-purpose white flour
1½ tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 to 1¼ cups milk
1 large egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large banana, sliced into thin rounds
About 2 tablespoons neutral oil for the griddle
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and cardamom. In a measuring cup, whisk together 1 cup of milk with the egg and vanilla, followed by the melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and fold with a rubber spatula just until combined. The batter will be thick and lumpy; if it seems too thick, add the additional milk by the tablespoon until batter is pourable.
Preheat a nonstick griddle, frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Grease the pan with a small amount of the neutral oil, swirling to coat.
When the pan is hot, spoon or ladle a small amount of batter onto the griddle and use the bottom of a spoon to gently spread the batter into a circle (the batter is thick so it won’t spread easily on its own). Top each round with a few slices of banana (if using).
Cook until golden brown and set on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and cook on the second side for 2 minutes more, until browned on the second side and the bananas are caramelized.
Adjust the heat on the griddle as needed, then cook the remaining pancakes in batches until all the batter has been used.
Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.
Note: For a larger crowd, you can double this recipe, but use only 2 tablespoons baking powder. Up to half of the all-purpose flour can be replaced with whole grain flour, if desired.
Variation: Instead of using bananas, cook the pancakes without them, then top with fresh slices of apricots or apricot jam, compote or syrup. Makes about 12 pancakes.
About the author
Amber Turpin and Jessica Tunis live with their respective families in the green folds of the Santa Cruz Mountains. They share a love of food and writing, adventure and good company. Their collaborations on these pages are a natural extension of many good times spent together, gathered in kitchens and backyards near and far.
