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Red Velvet Pancake Stack with Cream Cheese Drizzle

Name: Red Velvet Pancake Stack with Cream Cheese Drizzle
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200g plain flour; 2 tbsp cocoa powder, Dutch-process if possible; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 250ml buttermilk; 2 large eggs, separated; 3 tbsp caster sugar; 1.5 tbsp red food colouring, gel colouring gives more vibrant colour than liquid; 1 tsp white wine vinegar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 30g unsalted butter, melted; 150g full-fat cream cheese, for drizzle; 3 tbsp icing sugar, for drizzle; 0.5 lemon, juice only, for drizzle; 2 tbsp whole milk, to loosen the drizzle

Prep 15 minsCook 20 minsServes 4£1.80/servingAmerican Stack

Red velvet pancakes use the same flavour logic as red velvet cake: cocoa, buttermilk, a small amount of vinegar, and enough red food colouring to make the stack look deliberately theatrical. The cream cheese drizzle - loosened with a little milk and lemon juice - is the correct pairing. This is an advanced recipe not because the technique is difficult, but because the variables need to be managed carefully: colouring quantity, cocoa balance, and cream cheese consistency. Get them right and the result is a showpiece stack that looks like it required more effort than it did.

Red Velvet Pancake Stack with Cream Cheese Drizzle - american stack pancake recipe served on a plate, photographed from above

Ingredients

200g (7oz)plain flour
2 tbspcocoa powder, Dutch-process if possible
1 tspbicarbonate of soda
250ml (9fl oz)buttermilk
2large eggs, separated
3 tbspcaster sugar
1.5 tbspred food colouring, gel colouring gives more vibrant colour than liquid
1 tspwhite wine vinegar
1 tspvanilla extract
30g (1oz)unsalted butter, melted
150g (5oz)full-fat cream cheese, for drizzle
3 tbspicing sugar, for drizzle
0.5lemon, juice only, for drizzle
2 tbspwhole milk, to loosen the drizzle

Method

1
Make the cream cheese drizzle: beat cream cheese with icing sugar, lemon juice, and milk until smooth and pourable. Refrigerate until needed.
Tip
The drizzle should be thin enough to pour slowly. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time if needed.
2
Whisk flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda, sugar, and a pinch of salt together.
3
Whisk egg yolks with buttermilk, melted butter, food colouring, vanilla, and vinegar.
Tip
Gel food colouring gives a deeper, more consistent colour than liquid. Start with 1 tbsp and adjust.
4
Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed. Fold in whipped egg whites.
5
Heat a pan over medium heat. Pour 80ml batter per pancake.
Tip
Medium heat is essential. The cocoa burns more easily than plain flour.
6
Cook until surface bubbles form and the edges look dry. Flip and cook for 1 minute. The inside should be deep red with a chocolatey crumb.
7
Stack and drizzle the cream cheese sauce from the tip of a spoon in a slow zigzag. Serve immediately.
Tip
Warm the drizzle slightly if it has firmed up in the fridge.

Pro Tips

→Gel food colouring gives a far more vivid result than liquid. Start with less than you think and adjust.
→Dutch-process cocoa is less acidic than natural cocoa and gives a more balanced flavour here.
→Medium heat throughout - cocoa burns faster than plain flour.
→The cream cheese drizzle can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Thin with a splash of milk before using.

Topping Ideas

Cream cheese drizzle (essential)Fresh raspberries alongsideIcing sugar dusted overWhipped cream

Learn More

→more showpiece pancake ideas for Pancake Day

Terms in this recipe

Buttermilk Baking powder Hotcake Flapjack

Defined in the Pancake Day glossary.

Questions & answers

How do you get red velvet pancakes the right colour?⌄

Gel food colouring gives a more vibrant, consistent red than liquid colouring. Add it to the wet ingredients with the buttermilk. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more if the batter looks too pale - gel colours vary in intensity between brands.

Why do red velvet pancakes use vinegar?⌄

The vinegar reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to create bubbles that give the pancakes lift. It also reacts with the cocoa powder to bring out the reddish-brown colour. This is the same logic as red velvet cake, which uses buttermilk and vinegar for both lift and colour.

Can I make the cream cheese drizzle ahead?⌄

The cream cheese drizzle can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated. It will firm up slightly in the fridge. Before serving, stir in a splash of milk to bring it back to a pourable consistency, or briefly warm in the microwave in 10-second bursts.

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