This week’s bake is made for pancake lovers everywhere! An American Pancake Layer Cake from Joshua Weissman. It is three layers of buttermilk pancake cake batter filled with a candied bacon crumble, salted maple caramel frosting, peanut butter frosting and topped off with maple syrup !
Pancakes have been around for centuries and are a staple in many cultures. Experts believe that people enjoyed pancakes as far back as 30,000 years ago during the Stone Age.
In ancient Greece and Rome, pancakes were made from wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk. Ancient Greek poets Cratinus and Magnes wrote about pancakes in their poetry. Shakespeare even mentions them in his famous plays. During the English Renaissance, people flavored their pancakes with spices, rosewater, sherry, and apples.
People began using the word “pancake” during the 15th century, and the word became standard in 19th century America. Previously, people referred to them as Indian cakes, hoe cakes, johnnycakes, journey cakes, buckwheat cakes, griddle cakes, and flapjacks. Early American pancakes were made with buckwheat or cornmeal.
Thomas Jefferson loved pancakes so much that he sent a special recipe from the White House to his hometown!
In the U.S., Southerners eat the most pancakes, accounting for 32.5% of our pancake consumption.
The world's biggest pancake measured 49+ feet in diameter and weighed 6,614 pounds.
The world’s most expensive pancake is available for $200.00 at Opus in the Printworks in England. Ingredients include Madagascan vanilla pods and 23-carat gold leaf.
Here is the recipe for the American Pancake Layer Cake:
INGREDIENTS:
Simple Syrup:
1/4 cup (55g) sugar
1/3 cup (79ml) water
Buttermilk Pancake Batter:
12 cups (1.8Kg) of all-purpose flour
1.5 cups (300g) granulated sugar
1.5 teaspoons (16g) baking soda
4 teaspoons (24g) fine sea salt
6 tablespoons (52g) baking powder
8 cups (1.9L) milk
6 eggs
1.5 cups (336g) melted butter
1x maple candy from McDonald’s McGriddle But Better
Candied Bacon Crumble:
1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2g) fine ground black pepper
1 lb (454g) bacon
1/2 cup (76g) toasted peanuts, roughly crushed
Salted Maple Caramel Frosting:
1/2 cup (112g) salted butter
1/4 cup (55g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (143g) maple syrup
2 tablespoons (15g) corn syrup
3 cups (569g) powdered sugar
2 tablespoons (30g) heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon (2g) fine sea salt
Peanut Butter Frosting:
1 cup (220g) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (170g) creamy peanut butter
3 cups (300g) powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3g) fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon (2g) vanilla extract
2 tablespoons (30g) milk
To Assemble:
3 tablespoons (42g) butter, cut into 1 large square
Maple Syrup for Drizzling
INSTRUCTIONS:
Simple Syrup:
In a medium saucepot, add water and sugar and heat up until dissolved.
Buttermilk Pancake Batter:
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a couple of baking sheets with oil and line them with parchment paper.
In a bowl of a standing mixer with the globe whisk attached, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; mix until combined, then add milk, eggs, and melted butter, mix until smooth and homogenous.
Evenly pour your pancake batter on the greased baking sheets, then evenly spread out the maple candy balls, and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool down.
Once cool down, punch out your cakes using a cake ring, set about 7" to 8”.
Candied Bacon Crumble:
Pre-heat oven to 350F. In a small-size bowl, add sugar and black pepper; mix to combine.
Add bacon to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and generously season with your sugar & pepper mix (on just one side) and place in the oven for around 20 min.
Let it cool completely and rough chop with a knife. Next, add peanuts to a food processor, blend that on high to medium coarse, then add your bacon and mix until everything is relatively the same size.
Salted Maple Caramel Frosting:
In a medium-size saucepot, add butter, sugar, maple syrup, corn syrup, and set over medium heat. Let it cook; once it simmers, turn down the heat, occasionally swirl to emulsify, and reduce for 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour your caramel into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature. Once cool, add salt, powdered sugar in batches and beat it with a mixer.
Once thick, add heavy cream and beat on high. Finally, add your frosting to a piping bag and reserve.
Peanut Butter Frosting:
In a medium-size bowl, add softened butter and peanut butter; using an electric mixer, beat this together until combined and creamy. Then stir in powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all is added and is fully incorporated.
Then add salt, vanilla extract, and milk; mix until homogenous. Finally, add your frosting to a piping bag and reserve.
To Assemble:
To your cake ring, add a cake collar to the ring. Next, add your first cake layer, brush generously with simple syrup, then a significant layer of your peanut butter frosting, and half of your bacon crumbles (evenly spread across the surface).
Add another layer of cake, brush with simple syrup once again, then a layer of your maple caramel frosting, and the other half of your bacon crumbles.
Finally, top it with the final pancake layer, cover it with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge overnight to solidify. Once ready, pull it out, let it temper at room temperature for about 10 minutes; cut off a slice and enjoy with a slightly melted pad of butter and maple syrup.
Here are some pictures from the bake:
Have a great day !
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