Th Recipe

Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). If making pancakes or griddle items instead, preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan or a skillet with 1 teaspoon of butter or oil.

Combine Dry Ingredients

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

Mix Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl whisk the whole milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.

Make the Batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined and no large pockets of flour remain. The batter should be thick but pourable; if too thick, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. If too thin, sprinkle in a tablespoon of flour and stir.

Fold in Mix-ins (Optional)

If using nuts, chocolate chips, or berries, gently fold them into the batter now, reserving a small handful to sprinkle on top.

Bake or Cook

If baking: pour the batter into the prepared 9-inch pan, smooth the top, and bake in the preheated oven for 22–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden. If making pancakes: scoop 1/4-cup portions onto the preheated griddle and cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.

Cool

Allow a baked cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool another 15 minutes before slicing. For pancakes, keep warm in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) on a baking sheet while finishing the batch.

Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, shaking frequently, until fragrant. Chop roughly and set aside.

If using fresh berries as a topping, toss them with a teaspoon of sugar and let macerate for 10 minutes to draw out juices for topping the finished item.

Serve the finished cake or pancakes with a pat of butter, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, the reserved mix-ins sprinkled on top, and the macerated berries if using.