Making pancakes for Shrove Tuesday is a real tradition in our house, and we almost always use my favourite Easy Pancake Recipe.
Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. In years gone by, the consumption of sugar, fat and eggs was traditionally restricted during Lent and making pancakes for Shrove Tuesday was a way of using up these staple ingredients before the fast.
Many Christians still give up something (meat, sugar, chocolate, alcohol etc) during Lent in order to mark Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness before he was crucified and to prepare for the celebration of His resurrection on Easter Sunday. Shrove Tuesday has become secularised in many ways and is often referred to as Pancake Day, but it’s always Shrove Tuesday to me.
Shrove Tuesday Traditions
I have fond memories of this special day. When I was little, my Mom would either make her favourite pancake recipe or take me to the Pancake Supper at the local church. I don’t remember my Dad coming; I think it was kind of a ‘girls night out’ for me and my Mom. I remember the pancakes suppers as incredibly busy and celebratory, all of us in the basement of the church. There was an endless parade of aproned ladies bringing out what seemed like hundreds of fluffy pancakes from the kitchen. Big hunks of butter and bottomless jars of maple syrup sat on the long trestle tables. It was pancake heaven, especially for kids.
Shrove Tuesday (or Pancake Day) in England
When I first came to England, I was surprised to find that the ‘pancakes’ served on Shrove Tuesday were thin crêpes topped with lemon and sugar. The pancake recipe I remembered was referred to as “American pancakes” and didn’t seem to figure very highly in the occasion. I couldn’t see the difference between American pancakes and Canadian pancakes and the whole thing made me feel very homesick. In an attempt to focus on the positive, I began inviting friends to enjoy my homemade ‘Canadian pancakes’ – my easy pancake recipe – in our home.
Real Maple Syrup Makes A Difference to My No Fail Pancake Recipe
Some of our guests were a bit wary of the maple syrup, indeed one lady did surprise me when she insisted I didn’t have ‘real maple syrup’ on the table. I couldn’t understand what she meant because I had managed to procure Canadian maple syrup made from sap taken from maple trees at great trouble and expense. (These days it’s much easier to find in the UK, although it is still quite expensive.)
I wondered aloud if perhaps she preferred maple syrup from Vermont? “No,” she asserted, “I’ve lived in America and real maple syrup says Aunt Jemima on the label”. Of course, Aunt Jemima is not real maple syrup at all, it’s table syrup made from high fructose corn syrup and caramel. I only just managed not to laugh out loud. Real maple syrup tastes best on my easy pancake recipe, that is for sure!
Pancakes in the UK
As the years have gone by, ‘American’ pancakes are more in favour here in England, although pancakes for Shrove Tuesday are still often crêpe-like and lend themselves more towards dessert than breakfast. To each their own. For me making pancakes for Shrove Tuesday will always be about the fluffy, thick pancakes like the ones I used to have in Canada, served with lashings of butter and maple syrup. Although I will confess to a weakness for Crêpes Suzette.
This is my all time favourite no fail pancake recipe, the one I use to make pancakes for Shrove Tuesday nearly every year, and nearly every other time I make pancakes as well. It comes via my wonderful cousin Esther, one of the best cooks I know.
My Favourite No Fail Pancake Recipe – Printable Version
My Favourite No Fail Pancake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups plain (all purpose) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- generous pinch of salt
- ½ cup
sour cream, crème fraîche or plain yogurt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 beaten eggs
- ¼ cup melted butter Cool the butter a bit before adding to the batter
Instructions
- Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, combine the sour cream, crème fraîche or yogurt, milk, beaten eggs and melted butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once, stirring just until combined.
- Lightly grease the griddle or frying pan.
- Place dollops of batter (a scant quarter cup of batter makes a good size pancake) on a hot, lightly greased griddle or frying pan.
- Cook on one side until bubbles form and break on the surface.
- Turn the pancakes over with a spatula or egg flipper.
- Cook for another minute or so until done.
- Serve immediately.
did you make this recipe?
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Is making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday a tradition in your home? What’s your favourite pancake recipe?
More Delicious Breakfast Recipes
Baked Overnight Oatmeal with Rhubarb and Almonds
My Mom’s Old Fashioned Jam Muffins
Comments & Reviews
Michelle says
April, I enjoyed reading this post and laughed out loud at the Aunt Jemima comment. I don’t know how you managed to keep a straight face! I rarely make pancakes for breakfast, but we do have them from time to time for supper. Have never made them with sour cream or crème fraîche and that addition intrigues me.
Thank you for linking this week.
April Harris says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the post, Michelle 🙂 The sour cream /crème fraîche gives the pancakes a lovely texture. Thank you for visiting!
Miz Helen says
Hi April,
There is nothing like a great stack of pancakes and your recipe looks delicious. We sometimes love a pancake supper, it is fun sometimes and very good! Hope you have a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Miz Helen!
Michelle says
These sound absolutely delicious!!!
April Harris says
Thank you, Michelle! They really are, and light and fluffy too!
Amy says
I love this! I just did some research to celebrate Lent this year as an non-Catholic and I didn’t know anything about Shrove Tuesday. Thanks for sharing! Hope I got my details right…https://amysenter.com/lent-study/
April Harris says
Thank you so much, Amy! Your details are really good, and it’s so nice to have someone write about Lent like this. The only thing I’d add is that it isn’t just Catholic believers who mark Lent. Most sects of the Christian faith (Anglican, Episcopalian, Presbyterian etc) all include Lent as part of their observations of Easter. I’m Church of England (so Anglican/Episcopalian) and it’s a part of our Easter season as well 🙂 Loved your post though! I shared it on Twitter 🙂
Pat says
Your Aunt Jemima’s story made me laugh! Unfortunately, many Americans grew up thinking that was real maple syrup–myself included. Now I buy an actual 100% maple syrup from Costco. It is almost as affordable as the fake syrup, as it is a bulk item.
We make pancakes whenever our grandchildren have a sleepover and I will try your recipe next time. I’m sure the sour cream makes them very moist and fluffy! Thanks!
April Harris says
My late Mom always bought Aunt Jemima because the real syrup was so expensive, but with Costco it isn’t too bad! I like the quality of their syrup as well. The sour cream really does make the pancakes moist and fluffy. Recently my son has been making them with plain yogurt at his house, and he says they are even fluffier. I’m looking forward to trying it!