Whether you’re in need of a birthday cake alternative, wedding cake alternative, or something new for pancake day, this American pancake cake is dressed to impress. Made up of old fashioned buttermilk pancakes with a sweetened coconut cream frosting and berries, these pancakes take decadent to a new level! Plus, not only is this pancake cake recipe super simple – but it’s also easily customizable!
Inspired by the Royal Wedding, I set about making a celebration cake with a difference, which is how this pancake cake was born. Using layers of different sized American-style fluffy pancakes, layered with a sweetened coconut cream frosting and then topped with berries and edible flowers, this cake can be made as large or as small as you’d like, and I have yet to come across someone who’s not a fan of pancakes.
Using a tried and tested basic pancake recipe with buttermilk for delicious fluffy pancakes – this is an easy recipe with a twist for anyone who enjoys eating pancakes (so, everyone?!). Plus, this recipe is also super customizable – check out my recipe notes for some suggestions.
The Ingredients
The Buttermilk Pancakes
- Plain flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda
- Eggs – I used Clarence Court Burford Browns
- Buttermilk – or a homemade buttermilk alternative
- Butter – I used homemade butter, then melted it
- Vanilla Extract – optional, but helps to provide ‘cake’ flavor.
The Coconut Cream Frosting
- Coconut cream – use the cream from tins of chilled coconut milk or homemade coconut cream.
- Icing sugar – You could also use an unrefined liquid sweetener like maple syrup. However, the frosting won’t be as stable and will soften quicker.
- Vanilla extract
Optional Extra: A thin spread of jam between the pancakes and coconut whipped cream tastes lovely. You could use strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, or even rose petal jam.
Decorations:
Below are my suggestions. Feel free to use whatever you’d like.
- Summer berries
- Edible roses
- Shredded coconut
The Method
Begin by sifting all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisking to combine well.
Then, create a well in the center of the flour mixture, add in the wet ingredients: eggs, 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of melted butter, and the buttermilk and mix until just combined.
Be careful not to overmix the pancakes mix, or you won’t get beautifully fluffy pancakes. It’s okay if there are a few small lumps of flour.
Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. Then heat two tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan.
Once hot, add enough pancake batter to coat the bottom of the pan (between 1/4-1/2 cup batter usually, depending on the size of your pan) and cook over medium heat until the surface begins to bubble, then flip, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
For a two-tier cake, make 5- large pancakes, then reduce the amount of batter to only coat 3/4 the pan (or use a smaller pan) and make a further six pancakes. For three tiers, aim for 3-4 large, 3-4 medium, and 3-4 small pancakes, then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Meanwhile, prepare the coconut cream frosting by whipping the coconut cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and thick.
Stack the pancakes with an even layer of frosting between each pancake, then decorate with summer berries and edible roses.
How To Store & Serve
If you have leftover pancakes or want to make the pancakes in advance (before topping them), then allow them to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or within the freezer for up to 3 months.
You may also be able to prepare the batter in advance and keep it covered in the fridge for a couple of days – though I haven’t tried this.
The assembled pancake cake is best eaten on the same day it’s assembled. Keep it in the fridge when possible, to stop the coconut cream softening and making the pancakes’ soggy’ too soon.
Serve alone or with a drizzle of Homemade Chocolate Syrup, Simple Homemade Strawberry Syrup (3 Ways), or a scoop of ice-cream.
Recipe Notes & Variations
- The leftover liquid from the coconut milk tin can be saved for smoothies or baked foods.
- If you’re using canned coconut milk, then I always suggest putting an extra can or two in the fridge as some don’t separate or thicken enough.
- Feel free to adapt the pancake batter to your liking: add chocolate chips, cinnamon, pumpkin pie mix, cacao powder, freeze-dried berry powder (for flavor and color), mashed banana, berries, etc. You may need to adapt the amount of liquid added to the batter, depending on what you add.
- You could use this banana oat fluffy pancake recipe for a version that is gluten-free, dairy-free, high-protein, and can be adapted to vegan.
- Add cacao/ cocoa powder to the coconut cream mixture for a chocolate frosting.
Related Recipes
For other pancakes, crepes, and/or more traditional pancakes with whipped cream- then you may like one of the recipes below.
- Savory Spinach Protein Pancake
- Fluffy Japanese Style Pancakes
- Protein Banana Pancake Pizza Recipe with fruit
- Christmas Fluffy Gingerbread Pancakes
- The Best Mini Pancake Cereal
- Aebleskiver Danish Pancakes (Blueberry Mini Pancake Balls)
- The Perfect Homemade Pancake Mix
You might also like to check out this post with 25+ breakfast ideas from around the world!
If you give this American Pancake Cake recipe a try, then let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie.
Pancake cake with coconut cream frosting
Ingredients
For the Pancakes:
- 4 cups plain flour
- ½ cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ tablespoon baking soda
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups buttermilk or a buttermilk alternative
- 10 tablespoon butter for pan
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract optional
For the Coconut cream Frosting:
- 2 cans coconut cream chilled overnight in fridge
- 1-2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup icing sugar up to ½ cup if needed
- Summer berries to decorate
- Edible Roses to decorate
Instructions
- Begin by sifting all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisking to combine well.
- Then, create a well in the center of the flour mixture, add in the wet ingredients; eggs, 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) of melted butter, and the buttermilk and mix until just combined.Be careful not to overmix the pancakes mix, or you won't get beautifully fluffy pancakes. It's okay if there are a few small lumps of flour.
- Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. Then heat two tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan.
- Once hot, add enough pancake batter to coat the bottom of the pan ( between 1/4-1/2 cup batter usually, depending on the size of your pan) and cook over medium heat until the surface begins to bubble, then flip, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- For a two-tier cake, make 5- large pancakes, then reduce the amount of batter to only coat 3/4 the pan ( or use a smaller pan) and make a further six pancakes. For three tiers, aim for 3-4 large, 3-4 medium, and 3-4 small pancakes, then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, prepare the coconut cream frosting by whipping the coconut cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and thick.
- Stack the pancakes with an even layer of frosting between each pancake, then decorate with summer berries and edible roses.
How To Store
- If you have leftover pancakes/ make the pancakes in advance ( before topping them), then allow them to cool and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days or within the freezer for up to 3 months.You may also be able to prepare the batter in advance and keep it covered in the fridge for a couple of days – though I haven't tried this.The assembled pancake cake is best eaten on the same day it's assembled. Keep it in the fridge when possible, to stop the coconut cream softening and making the pancakes' soggy' too soon.
Notes
- The leftover liquid from the coconut milk tin can be saved for smoothies or baked foods.
- If you’re using canned coconut milk, then I always suggest putting an extra can or two in the fridge as some don’t separate or thicken enough.
- Feel free to adapt the pancake batter to your liking; add chocolate chips, cinnamon, pumpkin pie mix, cacao powder, freeze-dried berry powder ( for flavor and color), mashed banana, berries, etc. You may need to adapt the amount of liquid added to the batter, depending on what you add.
- You could use this banana oat fluffy pancake recipe for a version that is gluten-free, dairy-free, high-protein, and can be adapted to vegan.
- Add cacao/ cocoa powder to the coconut cream mixture for a chocolate frosting.
Tamra
Where do we get the edible roses? Or is there a recipe for them?
Support @ Alphafoodie
Hi Tamra,
In this case I used real roses – they were organically grown and were a sort safe to consume. That’s what I meant by edible roses. They are completely optional and mostly for decoration purposes. You can replace them with other edible flowers or flowers made out of sugar paste. I hope this helps.