No, Pancake is not bread but rather a flat cake prepared from a starch-based batter often thin and round, and may contain milk, butter, and eggs.
Additionally, rather than baking them, you prepare pancakes on a hot flat surface like a frying pan or griddle using butter or oil. However, some refer to pancakes as quick bread, flatbread, or batter bread.
This article helps you understand what pancake is, and why it is different from your traditional bread.
Why is Pancake Called a Quick Bread?
Pancakes sometimes are known as quick bread because they make use of chemical leavening agents like baking powder rather than natural agents like yeast to make them fluffy.
They also require little time during preparation to be reliably produced and do not require kneading or skilled labor that consumes time.
What Ingredients Are Used in Making Pancakes?
General ingredients used in making pancakes include starch-based batter, milk, egg, and butter, and may also include a chemical leavener.
However, additional ingredients used in making pancakes may vary based on what meets your taste. For example, you can add jam, dried or fresh fruits, ground walnuts, chocolate, cream cheese, and buttermilk with your milk or as a replacement for milk.
What Makes Pancakes Different from Regular Cakes?
Regular cakes are sweet desserts that typically consist of flour, eggs, and sugar, and are baked in an oven before sometimes being decorated with icing; while pancakes are thin batter cakes fried on a griddle or pan using butter or oil.
Another difference between pancakes and cake is the texture of their batter. The batter used in making pancakes is lighter and more watery than cake batter.
SEE: How Long It Takes to Bake a Cake From Scratch
What is the difference between pancakes and bread?
Pancakes differ from bread in terms of preparation or cooking method, leavening agents used, and ingredients used in making them.
The following differentiates bread from pancakes.
Ingredients
Pancakes make use of starch-based batter and may use eggs, milk, and butter as part of its ingredients while bread uses dough that is thicker in texture.
Also, the batter for pancakes is whisked or stirred while the dough used in making bread is mixed and kneaded.
Cooking Method
You typically fry pancake batter on a griddle or frying pan using butter or oil while you put your bread in an oven to bake.
Leavening Agents
Pancakes make use of chemical leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda while bread makes use of natural leavening agents like sourdough starter or yeast.
Texture
Dough for bread is usually very thick and requires skilled labor to be mixed or kneaded while pancake batter is watery and easy to stir within a short period.
What Foods Can You Eat With Pancakes?
Foods you can enjoy with your delicious pancakes include sausages, fruit salads, scrambled eggs, bacon, and egg muffins among others.
You can also enjoy your pancakes with beverages and toppings like orange juice, coffee, chocolate chips, strawberry syrup, nuts, whipped cream, peanut butter, blueberry syrup, and caramelized banana slices.
SEE: Denny’s Breakfast Menu: Enjoy Classic American Breakfasts All Day Long
Which Pancakes are Healthy?
Pancakes mostly made with fruits or whole grains are healthy choices you should try out.
Some of the healthy pancake choices that you can enjoy include;
- Blueberry pancakes
- Pumpkin pancakes
- Raspberry lemon dutch baby
- Banana pancakes
- Lemon cornmeal pancakes
- Vegan banana pancakes
- Almond flour pancakes
- Gluten-free pancakes
- Healthy oatmeal pancakes
FAQs
Are Pancakes healthy for diabetics?
No, pancakes are not healthy for diabetics and should be avoided by any means necessary. That is because while its taste is satisfyingly delicious and will keep your taste buds begging for more, it is very high in carbs and sugar.
Furthermore, most pancakes contain flour, and butter, and usually, go with maple syrup which can quickly raise blood sugar levels. Also, it barely contains fiber which keeps you fuller for a longer period.
SEE: If Diabetics Can Eat Cornbread
Which flour is used in making pancakes?
The most suitable flour for making pancakes is All-Purpose Flour. Some all-purpose flours are also available in gluten-free forms in case you’re sensitive to gluten.
You can also use whole wheat flour or a combination of both all-purpose and whole flour to make your pancakes.
SEE: How You Can Freeze Cake Batter to Extend Its Shelf Life
Can you make pancakes for vegans?
Yes, you can make pancakes completely suitable for vegans. All you need to do is modify the ingredients to not contain butter, milk, or any other animal products.
Common examples of pancakes that vegans can enjoy include; Potato pancakes, Dosa, Scallion pancakes, and Injera.
SEE: The Delicious Meals Applebee’s Vegan Options Offers
Conclusion
It is a common misconception that pancakes are bread because they fall under the classifications of quick bread or flatbread.
However, pancakes share more similarities with cakes because of the ingredients used in making them and the leavening agents used in the process. While bread makes use of yeast, pancakes make use of chemical leaveners like baking powder.
Furthermore, bread requires more effort in its production process while pancakes require little effort and no time-wasting skilled labor for their production.
Finally, understanding the differences between bread and cakes will help you understand why pancakes are more cake-like than bread-like. Here’s the difference between cakes and bread.
I hope you found this article helpful. Thanks for reading.
