COUSCOUS TRADITIONAL MOROCCAN : A CULINARY JOURNEY TO MOROCCO

Loaded with rainbow sprinkles and finished with a layer of vanilla icing, these buttermilk birthday cake pancakes are the perfect sweet treat to kickstart your morning. A vibrant stack of these pancakes is an ideal way to celebrate a birthday, add some fun to a sleepover party, or bring cheer to any occasion that deserves a sprinkle-filled breakfast!

 

Generally, I aim to prepare healthy and wholesome breakfasts for my family that are still delicious, like our favorite fluffy whole wheat pancakes and whole wheat banana pancakes. However, there are a few special occasions each year when we set aside the usual rules. That's when I bring out the sprinkles and whip up a batch of birthday cake pancakes!

For this funfetti-style treat, I use my beloved buttermilk pancake recipe from my first cookbook as the foundation. This classic recipe is a favorite because it yields the fluffiest, softest, and most tender pancakes imaginable. Have you had a chance to try them?

I modified the recipe by incorporating a bit more baking powder and sugar, a dash of almond extract, extra vanilla extract, and plenty of sprinkles. The extracts, combined with melted butter, create a delightful buttery cake batter flavor in these pancakes. Topped with sweet vanilla icing (and perhaps a dollop of whipped cream for good measure), these pancakes are undeniably a breakfast dessert.

Living the dream !!

• Quick and easy to make
• Fluffy, buttery, and tender
• Loaded with colorful rainbow sprinkles
• Flavors of vanilla and almond extract make them taste like cake batter
• Topped with sweet vanilla icing (and more sprinkles!)
• Almost like having confetti cake for breakfast!

Key Ingredients to Use & Why !!?

• Butter: Melt the butter first, to give it a chance to slightly cool before you mix it into the other wet ingredients.
• All-Purpose Flour: The base of the pancakes. See recipe Notes for info on using whole wheat flour and my whole wheat pancakes recipe.
• Granulated Sugar: Just enough to sweeten the batter, because you’ll add sweet toppings like vanilla icing or maple syrup.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda: Both give these fun pancakes some serious fluffiness.
• Salt: To balance the sweet.
• Eggs: To bind the ingredients together.
• Buttermilk: Buttermilk’s lactic acid, as well as its subtle tangy flavor and creamy texture, is required. Though I often suggest a DIY buttermilk option using regular milk and vinegar/lemon, I highly recommend using real buttermilk in these pancakes. I usually use low fat, but full fat works too.
• Vanilla Extract: A kiss of vanilla is the perfect flavor enhancer. You could also use vanilla bean paste.
• Almond Extract: This flavor addition is what makes these pancakes taste like cake batter. It doesn’t really taste like almonds—it’s the flavoring we always use in sugar cookies! By the way, have you ever tried this cake & cookie bakery emulsion? You can use this flavoring to replace almond or vanilla extracts in certain recipes, including today’s.
• Rainbow Sprinkles: Make sure you use the “jimmies” style of rainbow sprinkles, the waxy strands. Rainbow confetti quins (the flat pastel-colored discs) work, too. Other types of sprinkles, such as nonpareils, will bleed their color in the batter, turning it muddy—which isn’t the look we’re going for here!

Preparing the batter takes just a couple minutes. Whisk the dry ingredients in 1 bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients in another, then pour wet into dry and whisk together to combine. I like to use a large mixing bowl with a pour spout. Makes pouring the batter onto the pan/griddle much easier.

Success Tip: Let Your Batter Take a Nap

Let the batter rest for a few minutes while you preheat your griddle/pan and make the icing. This gives it a chance to thicken up, which makes for even fluffier birthday cake pancakes.

How to Keep Sprinkles From Bleeding Their Color?

Given the abundance of brightly colored sprinkles in this birthday pancake batter, it's crucial to avoid over-mixing.

Over-mixing can cause the sprinkles to bleed, resulting in an unappealing purple, green, or brown hue. To ensure your rainbow pancakes turn out beautifully, follow these tips:

1. Choose sprinkles that are less likely to bleed their color.

2. Add the sprinkles just before you're ready to cook the pancakes.

3. Gently fold them into the batter, stirring slowly and with a light touch.

Additionally, over-mixing can lead to dense, tough pancakes, which is the opposite of the fluffy, delightful stack of rainbow pancakes you want.

  Ingredients : 

Pancakes:

• - 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• - 2 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• - 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
• - 2 teaspoons baking powder
• - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• - 1/4 teaspoon salt
• - 2 large eggs
• - 2 cups (480ml) buttermilk*
• - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
• - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract*
• - 1/2 cup (85g) rainbow sprinkles (not nonpareils)*
• - Butter or nonstick spray for cooking

Icing:

- 1/2 cup (60g) confectioners' sugar, sifted

- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- 1–2 tablespoons milk

- Whipped cream and additional rainbow sprinkles for serving

Instructions :

1. Prepare the Butter: Melt 6 tablespoons of butter using either the microwave or stovetop. 

Set aside to cool slightly, ensuring it’s not too hot.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl (preferably with a pour spout), whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. Combine Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, and almond extract until well combined. Then, whisk in the cooled melted butter.

4.Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and gently whisk until combined, ensuring there are no dry patches of flour at the bottom. The batter should be thick with a few lumps.

5.Let Batter Rest: Allow the batter to sit for 5 minutes to thicken while you heat the griddle or skillet.

6. Heat the Griddle: Preheat a griddle or large skillet over medium heat and generously coat with butter or nonstick cooking spray. Fold the sprinkles into the batter right before cooking.

7.Cook the Pancakes: Pour a heaping 1/4 cup of batter onto the hot griddle. Cook until the edges are set and holes appear on the surface, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until cooked through, about 1-2 more minutes. Recoat the griddle with butter or nonstick spray as needed for each batch.

8.Keep Pancakes Warm: Keep cooked pancakes warm in a preheated 200°F (93°C) oven until all pancakes are done.

9.Prepare the Icing: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and milk to make the icing. Drizzle over the pancakes before serving. Optionally, top with whipped cream and extra sprinkles.

10.Serve and Store: Serve the pancakes immediately. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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