foodie friday cake batter pancakes.

Birthday cake- cake batter pancakes

 one of the coolest parts about being a parent is creating new traditions. one of the traditions i have created in my home is surprise breakfasts. growing up my step dad would make smiley face breakfast every Saturday or Sunday morning, me and my siblings loved it and we still bring it up often, because i work a kind of unconventional schedule a big breakfast in my house is pretty rare but i created my own version of the memory i had as a child and made it work for me and my family. i started doing what i call a surprise breakfast. i LOVE surprise breakfasts, valentines day, first day of school, snow man breakfast, birthday breakfasts any excuse to decorate when people in my household are asleep and to make a big breakfast for them to wake up to is something i find so fun! i set a fancy themed table and hang decorations up and make the full deal, bacon, pancakes or french toast, fresh fruit, eggs and some kind of breakfast potato.
i am very open about the fact that to me coffee is breakfast. i am well aware that i have killed my metabolism and its the most important meal of the day...blah blah blah. that being said ...i will repeat myself, coffee to me is breakfast. i do however make my son breakfast which on a normal day consists of oatmeal, a banana, sometimes toast with peanut butter, you get the idea.  i have been told i make terrible eggs (although my two year old never complains) however on  special occasions i have been know to make amazing french toast and some pretty darn good pancakes with a variety of different flavors and so i started this tradition years ago with different family members and for the last two years i have kept it going with my sons birthday. i derived this recipe off of pintrest and tweaked it a little to my taste and instead of syrup i use a simple glaze and color it with the favorite color of the birthday person or holiday were celebrating ( pink for valentines) for a extra personal touch. 
warning these are very sweet, so if that is not your thing you will not like these. for me personally, if i wasn't concerned about health at all i could eat like buddy the elf in the will Ferrel Christmas movie( if you have not seen it stop reading this and watch it now and 100 more times after that!) his diet consists of syrup on top of spaghetti with candy on top with sugar on top of that and a liter of regular coke to wash it down...so ya i like sugar. any how........hope you enjoy these! 

you will need:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup yellow cake mix ( you can also use funfetti ) but i use yellow
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cups milk
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• assorted sprinkles
• large bowl
• whisk
• measuring cups and spoons
• Pam or vegetable oil
• skillet or griddle 
• spatula for flipping

glaze recipe:

• powdered sugar
• milk
• vanilla
• food coloring (optional)

whisk milk and vanilla add powered sugar until glaze consistency is slightly runny

what to do:

• combine flour,cake mix, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix well with a whisk 
• add one cup milk and half cup Greek yogurt
• add egg and vanilla and almond extract
• stir until smooth
• add in sprinkles
• add more milk if needed should be medium consistency not to thick not to thin
• heat skillet over burner and add Pam or small amount of vegetable oil 
• scoop pancakes on to warm greased pan ( i use a ice cream scooper so all my pancakes are around the same size.
• once it starts to bubble flip it. do not flip sooner or it will fall apart. ( it took me years to learn that)

HAPPY EATING!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE FAMILY TRADITIONS?
XOXO,
just janelle