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Delicious carrot cake pancakes topped with a sweet coconut whipped cream frosting.
While I absolutely love a classic fluffy pancake, it is so fun to experiment with new pancake flavors that aren't just chocolate chip or blueberry. Before going vegan, I loved trying out the new options at IHOP. (Come on, IHOP, get some vegan pancakes!) And pumpkin pancakes are a seasonal classic I make every fall.
I have seen carrot cake pancakes floating around on the internet for a while, so I by no means created the idea. But I love transforming carrot cake into new recipes - like these Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies. I even have a gluten-free Carrot Cake Waffles recipe up from a long time ago - it's an old recipe but still tasty!
My mom's signature dessert is carrot cake so it holds a special place in my heart. I recently totally vegan-ized it!
But let's talk pancakes.
First, you will whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger until well combined. You can substitute in nutmeg for the ginger if desired.
Next, stir in the milk, oil or vegan butter and vanilla extract until just combined. It is not only okay but a good thing to have lots of clumps left in the batter. A too-smooth batter will result in chewy pancakes.
Lastly, gently fold in the carrots and nuts. You can use either pecans or walnuts. I prefer pecans but they are typically more expensive.
If you have a nut allergy or just hate nuts, go ahead and leave them out. No biggie.
Heat up a little oil or butter in a non-stick skillet. Once the pan is hot, add about ⅓ cup of batter into the pan for each pancake. I like to cook 1-2 pancakes at a time to make sure they cook evenly. Sometimes I break out two skillets to get breakfast made faster.
Once the pancake becomes golden brown on the bottom, it's time to flip and cook the second side to golden brown perfection. The second side will cook a lot faster than the first, so keep an eye on it.
After each pancake, I like to wipe out the browned butter and add new butter.
You can opt to cook the pancake without the oil/butter. But you won't get those perfect crispy edges.
For the topping, you could certainly opt for a vegan cream cheese frosting or buy non-dairy whipped cream. The coconut cream frosting recipe I use for these pancakes is less sweet, which allows for still being able to add some maple syrup without a trip to the dentist.
Stick a can of coconut cream in the fridge the night before. The cream and the water will separate and you will be able to scoop the cream right out of the top of the can. Put it in a bowl along with vegan milk and vanilla extract. Beat it until creamy, then beat in the powdered sugar.
Stack your pancakes, top with the frosting, sprinkle some extra nuts on top, and drizzle with a little maple syrup. Heaven on a plate disguised as breakfast. Or, dessert.
Recipe
Carrot Cake Pancakes
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Pancakes
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- 2 tablespoon organic sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 3 tablespoon oil or melted vegan butter
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans *
- oil or vegan butter for the pan
Coconut Cream Frosting
- 1 can coconut cream chilled
- 1-2 tablespoon vegan milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup organic powdered sugar
Instructions
Carrot Cake Pancakes
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Stir in the milk, oil or butter, and vanilla extract.
- Fold in the carrots and pecans.
- Heat up a little oil or butter in a pan on medium heat.
- Once the pan is hot, scoop about ⅓ cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. I typically cook 1-2 pancakes at a time to ensure even cooking.
- When the bottom of the pancake becomes golden brown, flip it and cook until that side is also golden brown.
- I like to wipe out the pan and add new butter after each pancake, to get those perfect crispy edges and avoid any burnt-butter taste.
Coconut Cream Frosting
- Because you've chilled the can of coconut cream, you should be able to scoop the coconut cream right out of the can. Avoid the coconut water on the bottom.
- Using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the coconut cream, milk, and vanilla together.
- Beat in the powdered sugar. Add more milk if you want a thinner frosting, or powdered sugar if you want it sweeter.
- Top the pancakes with the coconut cream frosting, extra pecans, and/or maple syrup.
