Nothing beats waking up to a warm, delicious pancake covered in syrup and topped with fruit. This delicious breakfast treat will send your taste buds soaring. In America, the term flapjack is often interchangeable with pancake. Usually, when you hear pancake and flapjack spoken in the United States, it describes the hot griddle cake made out of flour, eggs, and milk that makes a delicious batter for a warm breakfast. Pancakes have several alternative names. These include:
- Hotcake
- Flapjack
- Griddle cake
- Slapjack
- Battercake
If you dig deeper, you will quickly find that the original flapjack is not exactly the same thing as a pancake. This post will look at the traditional flapjack, popular in Great Britain, versus the traditional pancake.
Are Flapjacks and Pancakes the Same Thing?
Although in America, when someone says flapjack, often, a picture of a warm pancake covered in syrup is what someone sees in their mind's eye. However, in Great Britain, flapjack is something else entirely different. The traditional flapjack ingredients from Britain consist of oats, golden syrup, sugar, and butter. Sometimes, there are also fruits put inside the flapjack. A traditional flapjack can be equated to a granola bar.
A pancake, on the other hand, is quite different. Pancake batter consists of flour, milk, butter, and typically eggs. After the batter is mixed, it is fried on a griddle or stovetop. Usually, people eat pancakes in a flat cake shape; however, you can also roll up a pancake and fill it with fruit. Therefore, the traditional flapjack and a pancake are entirely different.
However, in the United States, sometimes you will hear the term flapjack interchangeably with pancake; in this case, these terms mean precisely the same thing. Therefore, whether or not a flapjack and a pancake are the same will depend upon where you’re at and the term context.
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Flapjack vs. Pancake: What Is the Difference?
The primary difference between British-style flapjacks and pancakes is that flapjacks are a baked bar made from butter, oats, and syrups, whereas an American-style pancake is soft, with a fluffy texture and a sweet flavor. Flapjacks are chewy and dense by comparison but also have a buttery flavor from the syrup that's part of their ingredients.
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Pancake batter consists of eggs, milk, butter, and usually a type of flour or grain. These are simple ingredients that many use to make a typical pancake. However, there are many delicious pancake recipes to explore. For example, adding blueberries to your batter will make blueberry pancakes, or chocolate chips can be sprinkled inside your batter to make chocolate chip pancakes. With an array of delicious flavors, many choices are available for varying taste buds to enjoy.
The texture of a flapjack is also very different than that of a pancake. Flapjacks have a grainy and gooey texture that is similar to a granola bar. Pancakes, on the other hand, are soft and chewy. Aside from the texture differences, there are also taste differences. The taste will be dependent on what ingredients are added to each treat.
Flapjacks vs. Pancakes: Which is Healthier (Calories, Protein, and More)
Flapjacks are very calorie-dense, especially when prepared with syrup and butter. Their caloric value can also vary widely depending on what ingredients are used. While a small pancake has fewer calories, remember that people tend to consume more than one small pancake and add butter and syrup on top, which contributes significantly more calories. Overall, both pancakes and flapjacks should be consumed in moderation.
What Is a Flapjack?
The traditional flapjack rose to fame in Great Britain. Also, it’s possible that these sweet treats first arrived on the scene in Britain long before. Many believe this because William Shakespeare mentions them in his Jacobean play.
Traditional British flapjacks are different from regular pancakes. Instead, they are roasted or fried in the oven and made of oats, syrup, butter, and sugar. Many people eat flapjacks for breakfast, a snack, or a dessert. One of the most common ways to make a flapjack the way that historical Britain has made it is by melting sugar, syrup, and butter together and then mixing them with oats. After mixing these four ingredients, they are placed inside a tray and heated in the oven. This recipe is the most straightforward way to make a traditional British flapjack. However, many variations of this specific recipe add different ingredients.
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What Is a Pancake?
Chances are you have heard of the traditional pancake. It's even likely you have enjoyed eating one! However, where exactly did the original pancake derive from? It seems pancakes have existed for a long time, maybe even since the Stone Age! Traditional pancakes used wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and milk ingredients. However, pancakes have changed some in the modern era. Now pancake batter typically consists of flour, butter, sugar, baking powder, eggs, and milk. You can even buy premade pancake batter that only requires adding milk or water, making it easy for us to prepare pancakes in the morning for families.
Pancakes come in several different shapes, flavors, and even sizes. Many people enjoy stacking small pancakes on top of one another. On the other hand, other people enjoy a large pancake or two smothered in syrup and topped with fruit. Regardless of how they enjoy it, many people worldwide love pancakes.
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Can You Substitute Flapjack for Pancakes or Pancakes for Flapjacks?
When it comes to traditional British flapjacks or pancakes, the answer is no; you cannot substitute flapjacks and pancakes. Although the terms flapjack and pancake are interchangeable and used to mean a flat pancake made on a griddle in the United States, they are initially different. Flapjacks are a British treat that is very similar to a granola bar. They contain sugar, syrup, and some oats mixed and heated in the oven. These ingredients create a delicious snack to enjoy after dinner or even a quick breakfast to grab on the go. There are many different ingredients that you can add to a flapjack, including fruit like dried apples, ginger, or even brown sugar, or chocolate chips.
Pancakes, conversely, are simple griddle cakes made out of batter and served hot. Both of these treats are delicious as breakfast or even a snack; traditionally, they are different and cannot be substituted for each other if you are speaking about the traditional flapjack. However, if you use the term flapjack interchangeably with a pancake to mean a griddled cake, they are essentially the same thing.
One Final Note
You may think flapjacks and pancakes are the same thing. However, although the term is sometimes used interchangeably in the U.S., they are technically quite different. Let's break down why these two are different:
- Flapjacks look similar to a granola bar, whereas pancakes are thin and cake-like.
- Pancakes have a chewy, dense texture, while pancakes are light, fluffy, and sweet.
- While the nutritional values aren't far off, flapjacks are more calorie-dense than pancakes.
Both flapjacks and pancakes are delicious treats that many families enjoy. You can enjoy a flapjack or a pancake in many different ways. Many people enjoy pancakes with syrup or butter melted over them. Also, eating pancakes with fruit inside or even rolled up with filling inside is a great way to enjoy this delicious yet simple breakfast. Whether or not you want to enjoy a traditional British flapjack or a hot off-the-griddle pancake, it all boils down to what your taste buds enjoy and your personal preference. Both of these treats are worth trying in a variety of ways. Chances are, when you try these yummy treats, you will find something to love!
Here are a few ways to enjoy a traditional pancake:
- Blueberry pancakes
- Banana pancakes
- Japanese style pancakes
- Lemon, poppyseed pancakes
- Peanut butter pancakes
- Orange zest
- Apple pie
- Pumpkin butterscotch pancakes
- Cinnamon, almond
- Raisin pancakes
- Eggnog pancakes
- Sweet potato
These are just a few variations of pancakes that people enjoy worldwide. A simple search on the Internet will bring thousands of pancake options to enjoy. So, if you love sweets, whether crunchy or smooth, flapjacks and pancakes are excellent choices for your next breakfast.
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Perfect Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
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Ingredients
3 cups buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
Instructions
1. Add vanilla extract to the buttermilk in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
3. Whisk egg and butter into the vanilla buttermilk.
4. Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and whisk until lumps are gone. Mix just enough to incorporate all the ingredients. Do not over-mix, it will make the pancakes tougher and much less fluffy.
5. Let this mixture rest for 15 minutes (see the Tip below for why). Do NOT stir as it rests, or after it is done resting. The batter will be thick. Trust us on this, by following this rule we've had consistently fluffy, delicious pancakes every time!
6. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and coat well with cooking spray.
7. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto the skillet, and cook until bubbles appear on the surface.
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8. Flip with a spatula, and cook until browned on the other side.
You can add blueberries or chocolate chips to the batter, add to the dry ingredients before combining with the buttermilk mixture.
Notes
Serve topped with any of these for added deliciousness:
Maple Syrup
Sliced Bananas drizzled with caramel sundae topping and whipped cream
Sliced strawberries and whipped cream
Chocolate syrup
Sprinkled with cinnamon and confectioners sugar