a different kind of birthday cake

I love a good stack of pancakes. Usually, it's a weekend treat, but lately, I've been craving them every morning. Because today is my birthday, I've allowed myself to indulge several mornings throughout the past week. This is actually a good thing- no breakfast fills me up or gives me more energy than pancakes. One day, having grown a little tired of the same old same old, I came up with this recipe- these cakes come with a twist: a little savory, with a hint of olive oil and a satisfying texture, they are the perfect combination of pancake and griddle cake. They'd be good for breakfast, brunch, or even dinner with something savory like some potatoes or tempeh bacon on the side. Give them a try- it's my birthday gift to you!

Sweet 'n Savory Griddle Cakes (makes 8-10)

• 1 TB apple cider vinegar
• 1 C unsweetened soymilk
• 1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 C cornmeal
• pinch sea salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 TB ground flax seeds
• 1 TB sugar
• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• about 1/3 cup orange juice

Mix vinegar and soymilk in a large measuring cup, stir, and allow to rest and curdle while you mix the dry ingredients. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda well. Add flax meal, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract to the soymilk/vinegar mixture and whisk well until mixed. Next, add enough orange juice for the liquid mixture to reach 1.5 cups.

Add liquid to dry mixture and mix gently with a fork or a whisk. Don't overmix, a few small lumps remaining are o.k. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of water or other liquid to thin out a bit, but not too much- the mixture should still fairly thick.

Pour batter by about 1/3 cup fulls onto lightly greased griddle, and flip when edges are done and the pancakes are a perfect golden-brown color. Serve with your favorite toppings- I went with classic Earth Balance and maple syrup here.

Enjoy!

P.S. It was fun reading some of your guesses after my last post, and I really like Rural Vegan's idea about starting a pool to guess what my surprise announcement is going to be. You guys can keep guessing and whoever comes closest gets a prize from me. I promise I will let you guys all know soon. Cheers!

a different kind of birthday cake