"CM" > wrote in message
ng.com...
> I love IHOP pancakes--they are spongy and soak up butter and syrup but
> whenever I make pancakes at home they are dense and "cakey". What is the
> secret to making more spongy pancakes?


Use GP flour or even bread flour. Do not use cake flour. Use reasonably
fresh baking powder. Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients
separately. Add wet to dry, very gently fold until just moistened. You'll
see dry chunks of flour, no problem. Let it rest a few minutes, then gently
fold again but not so much that all the bits of dry flour are mixed. You
want to under mix, not over mix and use a gentle touch. A couple minutes
rest before cooking is a good idea, it lets the flour absorb moisture and
the leavening agents begin to activate.

That's the secret. Oh, make them with buttermilk and add a couple
tablespoons of corn meal to the recipe. I also like to use 4 eggs per pound
of flour, most recipes call for 2.

Paul