Low Carb German Pancake Recipe - Gwen's Nest (2024)
By Gwen Brown162 Comments
This low carb German Pancake recipe is the answer to my heart’s cry for the perfect sugar free breakfast. Back before I read Trim Healthy Mama, we would eat a version of this oven pancake nearly every week. It was heavenly. I’d tweaked a recipe from my Finnish friend Jen. The Finns call it Pannukakku. Jen’s kids prounounced it “Bunny Cake,” and the name stuck.
But it also stuck to the thighs like nobody’s business. It contained a whole stick of butter, 3/4 cups of sugar, 2 cups of milk, 1 1/2 cups of flour, 6 eggs…it was SO naughty. But ever so delicious. I was grieved to give it up. Nigh unto heart sick.
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Finally…FINALLY I have perfected a THM version of my favorite breakfast dish. If you’ve never had the pleasure of baking or enjoying a German or Finnish oven pancake, it’s a real treat. My old recipe would puff up as it baked and become a GIANT fluff that would shrink back down as it cooled.
This version rises in the oven just like the sugary version, AND it’s got the essential custard-like texture with the sweet crust on the top and edges. My favorite.
*swoon*
I served it this past weekend, and it was a big hit. Even my kiddo that doesn’t like eggs was asking for seconds and super excited about it. I served it with a drizzle of real maple syrup for the kids, and my sugar free maple syrup for my Trim Healthy Man and me. We also had spoons of warm sugar free berry syrup mingled over the top. H.E.A.V.E.N.
(Sorry about the blurry photos. I suspect it’s directly connected to tiny syrupy fingerprints that I later discovered on my lens.)
We call this "Bunny Cake" at our house. But not matter what you call it, it's my favorite breakfast treat. Somewhere between a baked custard and a pancake, this delightful S breakfast is a family pleaser, and the perfect weekend or holiday breakfast treat. It reheats nicely.
Author: Gwen
Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 10
Ingredients
4 T butter (1/2 stick or ¼ cup)
6 eggs
½ c. xylitol or erythritol + stevia to sweeten (2 scoops)
2 tsp. vanilla
1½ cups oat flour*
1 t. salt
1½ c. unsweetened almond milk
½ c. cream or ½ & ½
¼ tsp nutmeg, optional
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375.
Place 9x13 casserole dish into oven as it preheats, and add 4 T of butter (half of a stick) to the pan and allow to melt as you mix up the batter.
In a blender or bowl, combine remaining ingredients, and whisk together until well blended.
Pour batter into hot casserole dish, and swirl with melted butter to blend it in briefly.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Serve with Sugar Free Berry Syrup, and/or Sugar Free Maple Syrup, and dust with powdered erythritol if desired.
Notes
*If you do not have oat flour handy, blend 1½ cups of oats in your blender to make your own. Check your carb count if buying premade oat flour- they can vary. If you'd like to lower the carb count, try subbing ½ cup of oat fiber for the oat flour. Usually, oats and oat flour are an E ingredient, but I calculated the servings in this recipe, and it's squarely in S territory. Cut into 12 servings, I calculate 8 grams of fat, and 6 net carbs per serving if using 1½ cups of ground oats. Cut into 10 servings, I figured 10 grams of fat and 7 net carbs if using 1½ cups of ground oats.
So, what does *your* family call an oven baked pancake? 🙂
And now for MY favorite part of Trim Healthy Tuesdays: all of the FANTASTIC link ups from other THM bloggers! Thank you all for making Tuesdays so inspired, trimming, and fun!
The center of a German Pancakes is supposed to be flat. If the edges are flat, then it likely is a result of either the oven or the pan not being hot enough.
The term “Dutch baby” was coined by an American restaurateur whose use of “Dutch” was a corruption of the word “Deutsch” (“German” in German). “Baby” referred to the fact that the restaurant served miniature versions.
The difference between German and American pancakes is that German pancakes use more eggs than American pancakes and no leavening agent. German pancakes are also baked in a shallow dish (like a roasting pan or cast-iron skillet) while American pancakes are cooked on a griddle.
Eggs are a crucial ingredient. They provide the cakes with the structure to hold light bubbles. Eggs also give the batter additional, richer flavor from the yolk fat. If you add too many eggs, you'll have “pancakes” that look more like custard or crepes.
Over-mixing pancake batter develops the gluten that will make the pancakes rubbery and tough. For light, fluffy pancakes, you want to mix just until the batter comes together—it's okay if there are still some lumps of flour. Fat (melted butter) makes the pancakes rich and moist.
The secret to fluffy restaurant style pancakes? Buttermilk! The acid in the buttermilk reacts to the leavening agents in the pancake batter, creating air bubbles that make the pancakes tall and fluffy. It's a simple switch that makes all the difference.
Dutch babies, popovers, German pancakes, Yorkshire pudding are all the same thing just different names. Technically these are all baked puddings and delicious. Try serving them with my delicious strawberry syrup.
Literally translated “pannenkoek” is the Dutch word for pancake. A pannenkoek is a delicious crepe with a variety of ingredients cooked right into the batter, making this not your average North American pancake.
Tastes vary from state to state. Since Hawaii is known around the world for its macadamia nut pancakes, it's no surprise that it tops the list. Additionally, Oregon and Alaska share a fondness for pancakes. With their colder climates, this could reflect their desire for warm, satiating breakfast foods.
It is marked that the Omelettes contain wheat and gluten as they are made with a splash of Buttermilk Pancake batter to create a light, fluffy Omelette. The same batter is also used in our Burritos and Bowls. The Scrambled Eggs do not contain Buttermilk Pancake batter.
Pancakes and waffles typically both contain baking soda, which causes them to rise. As soon as the baking soda is combined with the wet ingredients (which contain an acidic ingredient, like often buttermilk), it starts producing carbon dioxide gas bubbles that cause the batter to rise.
The first is that the batter is a bit runny. Add a little more flour (or mix) to make a thicker batter, and see if that fluffs up the pancakes. The other reason I can think of is that the leavening is either past its prime, or not getting enough time to work before cooking.
Overmixing the batter can cause the gluten in the flour to overdevelop, leading to a dense pancake. Batter Not At Room Temperature: Ingredients that are not at room temperature can cause the batter to be too dense. Make sure all ingredients, including the eggs and milk, are at room temperature before making the batter.
The liquid helps to activate the baking soda and buttermilk, creating the reaction we just covered. These bubbles will rise as you stir. As this is happening, the CO2 bubbles will be trapped by the gluten in the batter when your pancake solidifies, leading to fluffiness! Avoid mixing the ingredients too much though.
Make sure your baking powder, or mix, is fresh, and then let the batter sit a little while before cooking. Many folks will make their pancake batter the night before, which seems to result in fluffier pancakes. Use baking powder and a light baking soda. Don't over mix, batter should be bubbly.
Introduction: My name is Tish Haag, I am a excited, delightful, curious, beautiful, agreeable, enchanting, fancy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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This low carb German Pancake recipe is the answer to my heart’s cry for the perfect sugar free breakfast. Back before I read Trim Healthy Mama, we would eat a version of this oven pancake nearly every week. It was heavenly. I’d tweaked a recipe from my Finnish friend Jen. The Finns call it Pannukakku. Jen’s kids prounounced it “Bunny Cake,” and the name stuck.
(Sorry about the blurry photos. I suspect it’s directly connected to tiny syrupy fingerprints that I later discovered on my lens.)
