Misunderstood Cakes

These leftover "Slutty Cakes" (I got the recipe from Kenny Shopsin's cookbook, Eat Me*) will be heated up and asked to serve as breakfast or a hearty snack today. His recipe calls for a filling of peanut butter and pumpkin in the middle of each pancake. I've known for years that peanut butter and syrup are an excellent topping for pancakes (they combine into something kind of caramelly and delicious), but I'd never thought about adding pumpkin or cooking it right into each pancake. I included an extra teaspoon of sugar not called for in the recipe, too, as I thought the pumpkin made the mixture fall a little flat. The end result was excellent!

Here's the recipe: Make up your favorite pancake mix. Kenny likes Aunt Jemima's frozen pancake mix. I used my How to Cook Everything cookbook and made the "Basic Pancakes." In another small bowl, mix together 2 T. pumpkin (I used canned organic), 2 T. peanut butter (I used chunky), and a big pinch of pumpkin pie spice (I added 1 T. sugar to this).

Now get your griddle going (Kenny has a long section on proper griddling) and when it's hot drop some batter to begin your first pancake. When it is done on one side, put a small spoonful of the filling in the center of the pancake. Flip and finish cooking. Flip again and serve. Mr. Shopsin would like you to use Grade B maple syrup, which I didn't have in the house.


*I LOVE this cookbook. I am reading it cover to cover and I want to make everything in it. Love, love, love.