Griddle Cakes Vs Pancakes: Is There A Difference?

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Last Updated on August 2, 2022

One of the most popular American breakfasts is eggs, bacon, and pancakes. However, is there a difference between griddle cakes vs pancakes? Depending on where you live, you may call this tasty breakfast food by different names.

Pancakes are served hot and are commonly topped with maple syrup, whipped cream, or fruit. Some people also enjoy adding mix-ins to their pancakes including chocolate chips or blueberries. No matter how you serve them or what you call them, they make for a delicious breakfast.

Griddle Cakes vs Pancakes

In America, a griddle cake and pancake are the same things. They are thick, fluffy breakfast cakes that are cooked on a griddle or stovetop. Depending on where you live, you might use one name over the other.

In the United Kingdom, griddle cakes refer to American-style pancakes. English pancakes tend to be much thinner than American ones.

American pancakes are served hot off the griddle and are traditionally topped with maple syrup. Other popular toppings include whipped cream, jelly, butter, Nutella, and fresh fruit. Pancakes can be made plain or with mix-ins such as chocolate chips, blueberries, bananas, and cinnamon.

Other names

Griddle cakes and pancakes aren’t the only names for this tasty dish. Other names include flapjacks and hotcakes, with flapjacks sometimes referring to pancakes with oats mixed in.

What you call them will vary by what region of America you live in. All of these terms refer to the same food, they are just simply different names for it.

What ingredients are used to make American pancakes?

Traditionally, American pancakes have buttermilk, eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, butter, and salt. Lots of recipes will also use vanilla extract as well. In some cases, a substitute for buttermilk may be used such as milk.

History Of Pancakes

Pancakes are believed to have been around for 30,000 years. It is believed that people in the Stone Age a cereal-based food that was like a pancake.

The first recorded pancake comes from Ancient Greece and Rome. These pancakes were made of wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk. Pancakes were even mentioned in the poetry of ancient Greek poets Cratinus and Magnes.

Throughout the English Renaissance, people would season their pancakes with spices, rosewater, sherry, and apples. By the 15th century, the term pancake began to be used to describe this tasty dish and by the 19th century, it became the standard.

Pancakes quickly became popular once they were introduced in early America. Originally, American pancakes were made with buckwheat or cornmeal.

Types Of Pancakes

Since their inception, pancakes have become a popular food worldwide. Over the years, there have been many variations of pancakes created in different countries. Here is a list of some of the types of pancakes you can find throughout the world.

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Buttermilk pancakes

Buttermilk pancakes have a light, fluffy texture and a slightly sweet taste. They contain leavening agents, commonly baking soda and baking powder, to help give them their fluffy texture. Also known as American-style pancakes, they are a popular breakfast and are most commonly served in stacks with butter and maple syrup.

English pancakes

English pancakes are thinner than American pancakes but slightly thicker than French crepes. They are traditionally served with powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Crepes

Crepes are a type of thin pancakes that come from France. They are typically made with flour, milk, and eggs. Crepes are often served with various fillings that can be sweet or savory.

Aebleskiver

Aebleskivers come from Denmark and are baked in a special pan to give them a small, circular shape. Oftentimes, these small fluffy pancakes are served with powdered sugar and jam.

Pikelets

Pikelets come from Australia and are fluffy, tiny pancakes. They are made with pockets that can be filled with custard or jam.

Kaiserschmarrn

Kaiserschmarrn is a specialty type of pancake that comes from Austria. As it cooks, the pancakes are turned with a fork to give them an unusual shape. They are traditionally served with powdered sugar, berries, apples, or jam.

Drop scones

Drop Scones come from Scotland and are similar to American pancakes. Also known as Scotch pancakes made with flour, eggs, sugar, milk, salt, and cream of tartar. They are traditionally served with jam, custard, or butter.

Dutch baby

A Dutch baby is a German-style of pancake that is large and resembles the shape of a Yorkshire pudding. They are made of eggs, flour, sugar, and milk and are seasoned with cinnamon or vanilla. These pancakes are baked in the oven and often served with jam, applesauce, and other spreads.

Jeon

The Jeon is a type of savory pancake that comes from South Korea. It is made from eggs, wheat flour, rice, and green onions. They have an eggy batter and are traditionally served with meats, seafood, or vegetables.

Dosa

The Dosa is a thin, crispy pancake that comes from India. They are made of a fermented batter of rice and black gram. Oftentimes they are served with sambar or chutney

Griddle Cakes And Pancakes: The Same Delicious Food

Griddle cakes are simply another name used to describe American pancakes. These tasty pancakes are thick, fluffy, and served hot with maple syrup.

Do you have any questions regarding griddle cakes vs pancakes? If so, please ask your pancake questions down below.

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