Recipe: Carrot Cake Pancakes

Being as my Saturday morning treat is unique, hearty pancakes, this recipe from an article on Denver in the January Cooking Light immediately moved the the top of my to-cook queue. They are very carrot-dense, but the white flour keeps the texture light. The warm spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger) that are featured prominently in every bite make the cakes taste sweet. 

The carrot grating is time consuming, but I thought the unique spice combination and veggie-packing made worth it enough to be made again for sure. 

Carrot Cake Pancakes

1 ¼ cups all-purpose

1/4  cup  chopped walnuts, toasted

2  teaspoons  baking powder

1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon  salt

1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground nutmeg

Dash of ground cloves

Dash of ground ginger

1/4  cup  brown sugar

3/4  cup  low-fat buttermilk

1  tablespoon  canola oil

1 1/2  teaspoons  vanilla extract

2  large eggs, lightly beaten

2  cups  finely grated carrot (about 1 pound)

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients (through eggs); add sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in 2 cups carrot.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spoon 4 (1/4 cup) batter mounds onto pan, spreading with a spatula. Cook for 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 minute or until bottoms are lightly browned. Repeat procedure twice with remaining batter.