Recipe: Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

Picture a lemon poppyseed muffin in pancake form, with just enough sweetness. Now throw some macerated fresh strawberries on top. Sound wonderful? It is. So wonderful maple-loving me had no second thoughts about pulling out the syrup. These pancakes are fruity and refreshing, perfect for spring or summer, and a nice change of pace in the breakfast realm. There's plenty of lemon flavor from zest to make them taste great plain. In fact, good luck not snacking on them if they are just sitting around helplessly.

After discovering the recipe on pickycook.com and returning multiple times to salivate over it, I brought them to life for a Breakfast at Tiffany's potluck for a birthday girl who shares a her special day with Audrey Hepburn, darling. The pancakes made their debut on a buffet of cheese grits , blueberry French toast casserole , fruit, zucchini bread, hash browns, and selection of juices and champagne — nothing less than you would expect from a bunch of girls who edit lifestyle magazines. The occasion even made an appearance on a blog to which one of the party goers contributes. 

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/3 cup poppy seeds

zest of 4 lemons (or 3 large lemons)

2 cups buttermilk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Macerated strawberries*

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl combine the buttermilk, eggs, butter, lemon zest, and poppy seeds. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture. Stir all the ingredients until they are just combined. Pour about 1/3 cup batter into a skillet heated to medium heat. When the pancakes’ bottom is deep golden in color, flip with a spatula. Cook the other side until golden and cooked all the way through.

*I mixed chopped strawberries with powdered sugar, lemon juice, and orange liquor, but just powdered sugar would do the job.

Yield: 12 large pancakes