Classic Cakes Recipe

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous.

Mix until just combined

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Gently fold with a spatula or whisk until most of the dry streaks are gone. The batter should be thick but pourable with some small lumps — do not overmix (20–30 strokes). If batter appears too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons extra buttermilk.

Rest the batter

Let the batter rest at room temperature for 5–10 minutes to allow the leaveners to activate and the gluten to relax. This gives lighter, tender pancakes.

Preheat skillet

Place a heavy nonstick skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat and let it warm for 3–5 minutes. The surface should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates but not instantly smokes.

Prepare cooking fat

Add the unsalted butter and optional neutral oil to the skillet and swirl to coat. Using a combination of butter and oil prevents the butter from burning while delivering flavor.

Cook pancakes (makes 2 large pancakes)

For two large sweet cream pancakes (about 5–6 inches each and 1/2–3/4 inch thick), pour roughly 3/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for the first pancake and 3/4 cup for the second. Leave space between them. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set, about 2–3 minutes. Gently lift an edge with a spatula to check for golden-brown color. Flip and cook the second side until golden and cooked through, about 1.5–2 minutes more. Reduce heat slightly if pancakes brown too quickly.

Keep warm

If serving immediately but cooking in batches, transfer finished pancakes to a wire rack set inside a sheet pan in a 200°F (95°C) oven to keep them warm and preserve crisp edges while you cook the next batch.

Serve

Transfer two large pancakes to a plate, top with a pat of softened butter, pour maple syrup to taste, and add fresh berries or sliced banana if desired. Serve hot.

Notes

This recipe yields two large cakes per serving size listed below. For smaller pancakes, use 1/4–1/3 cup batter each and adjust cook times. Batter can be kept refrigerated up to 24 hours; allow to come to room temperature and whisk before using.