I don’t like bananas. They taste too sweet to me and have a strange flavour I can’t quite get past. They also tend to overpower whatever dish they’re in, which makes me like them even less.

When I was gifted a bunch of bananas, two things were clear: I couldn’t let them go bad, and I couldn’t throw them away. I had to find a way to use them that I would actually enjoy. Banana bread was the first idea that came to mind, but I don’t like banana bread either. Most of the ones I’ve tried are far too sweet. If I were to make it, I’d probably try a savoury version. But I still needed a plan for the rest of the bananas.

Jump to Recipe

That’s when I thought of banana pancakes.

When I cook or bake, I always try to make food that I genuinely want to eat. I decided to give it a shot, but I was very intentional about keeping the sweetness balanced so they can be enjoyed with or without toppings like syrup or fruit since I prefer food that isn’t overly sweet. Bananas are already naturally sweet, and pancakes are often served with syrup, fresh fruit, or compote. I kept all of that in mind when creating this recipe.

Jump to Recipe

Final Thoughts

For someone who doesn’t like bananas, I thoroughly enjoyed this banana pancakes, they will just right. They were perfect. They’re proof that with a few thoughtful tweaks, even ingredients you don’t love can surprise you. If you’re looking for a simple way to use up ripe bananas that isn’t overly sweet, give this recipe a try.

Jump to Video

Banana Pancake

The classic pancake made with a twist, a banana puree. You still get the fluffiness of a pancake and a subtle taste of banana. It is a mix of banana bread and pancake.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Equipment

1 Non stick frying pan
1 Blender or any equipment you own that you can use to puree
1 ladle You can substitute with a 1/2 to 1 cup measuring cup or a small mug
1 Whisk or Spatula
1 Turner spoon / spatula To flip the pancakes

Ingredients

2 medium to large Over ripe bananas
1½ cup Milk
2 cup All Purpose (AP) flour
2 Medium to Large Eggs
2 teaspoon Baking powder
2-5 tbsp Sugar Depending on how sweet you want it, you can use either 2 tbsp or more. See Note 4
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder optional (See Note 5)
½ cup Chopped nuts or Dark Chocolate chips optional (See Note 5)
¼ cup vegetable oil

Instructions

In a blender, add the peeled bananas, the milk and the eggs.
Blend until it is smooth, then transfer into a large bowl and add the vegetable oil and mix.
In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. Make sure it thoroughly combines.
Then gently and gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture (The banana, milk, egg puree we just blended), mixing with a whisk or a spatula. Try to make sure it is thoroughly mixed and there are no lumps. (If you are using chopped nut or chocolate chips, gently fold it in.) Then set the batter (mixture) aside.
On low heat setting on a stove/cooker, place a nonstick pan and allow it to heat up. (See Note 1 & 2)
Once the pan is hot, scoop some of the batter into the pan and allow to cook.
Once the see the bubbles starts to forms and some of them starts to burst on the top of the pancake, then the pancake is ready to be flipped.
Then allow the other side of the pancake to cook for a few seconds then remove it from the pan and place in a clean dry plate.
Remove the pan from heat for a few seconds to cool down then scoop some more pancake batter into the pan and allow to cook. (See Note 3)
The repeat steps 7 and 8 (Add the cooked pancake to the first one you made)
Repeat the scooping until you have exhausted the entire batter.
Enjoy your pancakes by itself, with syrup, Nutella, peanut butter, fresh fruits, whipped cream, fruit compote, eggs, sausages, bacon, greek yogurt, salted butter with honey, etc. Just go for it and enjoy it the way you like.
Enjoy! With Love, B!

Video

Notes

Tips:

Note 1: Make sure that the heat is extremely low so the pancake cooks all the way and it is not raw in the middle.

Note 2: Use a non-stick pan. Do not grease the pan with any oil, this allows for a nice consistency browning of the pancake.

Note 3: After the first batch / scoop, remove the pan from heat, let it cool down a bit before putting it back on the stove / heat and then you pour the next batch /scoop of batter in it. So, the pancake doesn’t burn before coming through

Note 4: I don’t like sweet, so, I usually use less sugar. You can use more if you like sweet. Remember, you can also sweeten it by eating your pancakes with syrups, fresh fruit, fruit compote or anything sweet.

Note 5:

Customizable: Add a pinch of cinnamon for warmth, or fold in chopped nuts or dark chocolate for texture.

Pairs well with both sweet and savoury toppings: Think a dollop of Greek yogurt and fresh berries, or even a pat of salted butter with a drizzle of honey.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American, Bawo Fusion

Keyword: Banana, BananaPancake, Pancake

Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @BawosKitchenJournal on Instagram and hashtag it #WithLoveBawo & #BawosKitchenJournal.